Abdominal mass
| Abdominal mass |
|---|
An abdominal mass is any localized enlargement or swelling in the
tumours, such as those caused by abdominal carcinomatosis and omental metastasis. The treatments depend on the cause, and may range from watchful waiting to radical surgery
.
Presentation
Many abdominal masses are discovered incidentally during routine
]Causes
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Bladder distention
- Cholecystitis (an inflammation of the gallbladder)
- Colon cancer
- Crohn's disease
- Bowel obstruction
- Diverticulitis
- Gallbladder tumor
- Hydronephrosis (fluid-filled kidney)
- Kidney cancer (including renal cell carcinoma)
- Liver cancer
- Hepatomegaly (Liver enlargement)
- Neuroblastoma
- Ovarian cyst
- Pancreatic abscess
- Pancreatic pseudocyst
- Splenomegaly (Spleen enlargement)
- Stomach cancer
- Uterine leiomyoma(fibroids)
- Volvulus (twisted piece of the gastrointestinal tract)
- Uretero-pelvic junctionobstruction
Diagnosis
The first steps in diagnosis are a medical history and physical examination. Important clues during history include weight loss, diarrhea and abdominal pain.[citation needed]
During physical examination, the clinician must identify the location of the mass, as well as characterize its location (usually specified in terms of
quadrants). The mass should be assessed for whether it is rigid or mobile. It should also be characterized for pulse or peristalsis, as these would help in further identifying the mass.[citation needed
]
Routine
international normalized ratio (INR), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), serum amylase and total bilirubin (TBIL). If late-stage liver disease is suspected, then a serum glucose may be appropriate.[citation needed
]
References
- MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia: Abdominal mass – An informative primer on abdominal masses and their common causes.
- First Principles of Gastroenterology: Abdominal Mass – This chapter discusses the basic approach to abdominal masses.