Radiology of the acute surgical abdomen in infants and young children.

The most common nontraumatic acute surgical lesions of the infant abdomen are considered. These abdominal lesions are divided into those which do and do not cause bowel obstruction. Lesions causing bowel obstruction are almost always identified as being surgical and are usually appropriately treated. Most common in this group are incarcerated inguinal hernia and malrotation. Among the non-obstructive lesions, appendicitis is the most common and frequently very difficult to diagnose in this age group. The early use of a barium enema is advocated if appendicitis is a diagnostic possibility. Profound ileus can be seen in a variety of medical conditions and several examples are cited.