Plain X-Ray

In severe acute abdominal pain, plain X-ray of the abdomen is usually the first investigation. X-ray can show:

• Kidney stones
• Gallstones (if they are large and calcified)
• Pancreatic calcifications (in pancreatic cyst or chronic pancreatitis)
• Air under the diaphragm (in stomach or bowel perforation)
• Air in the bowel (in bowel obstruction)

No preparation is needed for the investigation. There are no absolute contraindications, but, if possible, abdominal X-ray should be avoided in females until the end of reproduction period and pregnant women to prevent radiation exposure.

continue reading Diagnostic Imaging of the Abdomen: X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT, MRI

Normal bowel movement color can be any shade of brown, or some other colors, but not white.

The bowel movement has its color due to the bile which is originally green, but changes into the brown during the passage through the bowel. 

Causes of White Bowel Movement

When less than normal or no bile is excreted from the liver into the bowel (cholestasis), excreted stool will be pale, clay, gray, or white. Someone can describe it as a light color, but this is not bright yellow bowel movement, and also not mucus in the bowel movement that is jelly-like and translucent. Main causes of white bowel movement are:

continue reading Pale, Clay, Gray or White Bowel Movement and White Diarrhea