Abdominal mass Flashcards
Classify and differentiate the causes of abdominal mass
Right iliac fossa masses:
appendix mass/abscesses, caecal carcinoma, crohn’s disease, pelvic mass, intussusception, TB mass, amaoebic abscess, actinomycosis, transplanted kidney, kidney malformation, tumour in undescended testes
Left upper quadrant mass- spleen/stomach/kidney/colon/pancreas/rare cause e.g. neurofibroma? Pancreatic cysts (true or pseudocysts), splenomegaly, hepatomegaly
Pelvic masses: fibroids, fetus, bladder, ovarian cysts/malignancies
Describe how you would first assess/examine the abdominal mass
Determine size, site, shape and surface.
Find out if it is pulsatile and if it is mobile. Examine supraclavicular and inguinal nodes. Is the lump ballotable?
Recall the initial investigation of an abdominal mass
Ix - check FBC with film; CRP, U&Es, LFT, Ca2+, tumour markers. Imaging by CT or US, MRI e.g. in assessment of liver masses.
Others: TB tests, biopsy to give tissue diagnosis may be obtained using fine needle guided by CT, US or endoscopy.
