Abdominal mass: Difference between revisions
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The majority are asymptomatic, discovered on [[examination]]. | The majority are asymptomatic, discovered on [[examination]]. | ||
Symptoms can include [[pain]] or [[change in bowel habit]]. Obviously there are a wide variety of causes, which can have other symptoms, but also fairly common are [[weight loss]], [[jaundice]] or [[bowel obstruction]]. | Symptoms can include [[pain]] or [[change in bowel habit]]. Obviously there are a wide variety of causes, which can have other symptoms, but also fairly common are [[weight loss]], [[blood in stool]], [[jaundice]] or [[bowel obstruction]]. | ||
===Differential Diagnosis=== | ===Differential Diagnosis=== | ||
Revision as of 15:25, 15 December 2009
Definition
A mass in the abdomen.
Epidemiology
More seen in the other generation, or people with weird conditions.
Clinical and Associated Features
The majority are asymptomatic, discovered on examination.
Symptoms can include pain or change in bowel habit. Obviously there are a wide variety of causes, which can have other symptoms, but also fairly common are weight loss, blood in stool, jaundice or bowel obstruction.
Differential Diagnosis
There are a lot of potential causes:
- Bowel issues - bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation.
- Hepatomegaly - hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol abuse, heart failure.
- Splenomegaly - haematological cancer, heart failure, haemolysis.
- Kidney problems - polycystic kidney disease.
- Enlarged bladder - hydronephrosis, bladder carcinoma
- Aortic aneurism or aortic dissection - is it pulsating? (This may be an emergency!)
- Uterine/ovarian masses - pregnancy, fibroids, cysts, ovarian cancer.
- Abdominal wall hernias - commonly either inguinal, femoral, umbilical or incisional
Investigations
Getting history done to screen for family or personal family history.
Routine blood tests are usually the next step in diagnosis after a thorough medical history and physical examination. They should include a full blood count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and liver function tests such as albumin, 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.