CT abdomen general

Checklist

Protocol

As discussed under Technique, there are many different ways to perform an abdominal CT. The execution of an abdominal CT is decided on the basis of the indication and question. Because an abdominal CT is not risk-free (think of radiation burden and contrast nephropathy), it is important to do it correctly the first time. 

History 

Before evaluating an abdominal CT, you should first carefully study the case history. The patient’s medical history is always important. See if previous abdominal CTs have been made, which you could use for comparison. It would be a waste of your time to focus on abnormalities which have been analyzed before.
Additionally, the patient’s general history and clinical status are important when evaluating an abdominal CT, think of (recent) abdominal surgery, radiotherapy, fever/elevated infection parameters.

Quality of the examination

On the basis of the indication and question, a specific scan protocol has been selected. First see if the examination was successful and if the question can be answered. Example: liver metastases are generally invisible on an abdominal CT without contrast agent.

Structured method 

It is recommended to follow a structured method when evaluating a CT. This forces you to examine all organs and reduces the risk of missing anything. Some people prefer to first answer the question and then examine the other organs; others follow a fixed order of organs.