Table 1 Differential Diagnosis of Abdominal Pain according to Pain location1
From: The role of US examination in the management of acute abdomen
Pain location | Possible diagnoses |
|---|---|
Right upper quadrant | Biliary: cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, cholangitis Colonic: colitis, diverticulitis Hepatic: abscess, hepatitis, mass Pulmonary: pneumonia, embolus Renal: nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis |
Epigastric | Biliary: cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, cholangitis Cardiac: myocardial infarction, pericarditis Gastric: esophagitis, gastritis, peptic ulcer Pancreatic: mass, pancreatitis |
Left upper quadrant | Cardiac: angina, myocardial infarction, pericarditis Gastric: esophagitis, gastritis, peptic ulcer Pancreatic: mass, pancreatitis Renal: nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis Vascular: aortic dissection, mesenteric ischemia |
Periumbilical | Colonic: early appendicitis Gastric: esophagitis, gastritis, peptic ulcer, small-bowel mass or obstruction Vascular: aortic dissection, mesenteric ischemia |
Right lower quadrant | Colonic: appendicitis, colitis, diverticulitis, IBD, IBS Gynecologic: ectopic pregnancy, fibroids, ovarian mass, torsion, PID Renal: nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis |
Suprapubic | Colonic: appendicitis, colitis, diverticulitis, IBD, IBS Gynecologic: ectopic pregnancy, fibroids, ovarian mass, torsion, PID Renal: cystitis, nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis |
Left lower quadrant | Colonic: colitis, diverticulitis, IBD, IBS Gynecologic: ectopic pregnancy, fibroids, ovarian mass, torsion, PID Renal: nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis |
Any location | Abdominal wall: herpes zoster, muscle strain, hernia Other: bowel obstruction, mesenteric ischemia, peritonitis, narcotic withdrawal, sickle cell crisis, porphyria, IBD, heavy metal poisoning |