Abdominal Mass Flashcards
what are the types of causes of abdominal mass?
fat foetus flatus fluid faeces
what are the retroperitoneal organs? how does this affect presentation?
kidneys
pancreas
duodenum
have to get very big before visible
what investigations may be done for an abdominal mass?
CXR (erect) AXR (supine) CT US sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy/endoscopy ERCP Laparoscopy +/- biopsy
what might free gas in the abdomen signify?
something in the abdomen containing gas has perforated
how do you approach a differential diagnosis of abdominal mass?
tissue/organ of origin
what is the examination findings of AAA?
pulsatile, epigastric mass
pain radiating to the back
what can cause hepatic mass?
liver metastases
what are the symptosm of a hepatic mass?
weight loss?
jaundice
hepatomegaly
what commonly causes a splenic mass?
trauma
can large haematomas present as a mass?
yes
eg. hepatic or splenic
what can cause renal masss?
hydronephrosis
cancer (kidney or bladder - back pressure)
cysts
what usually causes reteroperitoneal organs (eg. pancreas) to eventually present?
gets so big that it affects other organs
how does colorectal cancer present?
altered bowel habit
PR bleeding
weight loss
sometimes mass
how is colorectal cancer diagnosed?
colonoscopy
CT
what can cause a pelvic mass?
gynaecological mass
begins in pelvis and swells up into abdomen
