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Abdominal mass Health Article

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What to expect at your health care provider's office

In nonemergency situations, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history.

In an emergency situation, you will be stabilized first. Then, the doctor will exam your abdomen and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history, such as:

Where is the mass located?
When did you notice the mass?
Does it come and go?
Has the mass changes in size or position, or has it become more or less painful?
What other symptoms do you have?

A pelvic or rectal examination may be needed in some cases. Tests that may be done to determine the cause of an abdominal mass include:

Abdominal CT scan
Abdominal ultrasound
Abdominal x-ray
Angiography
Barium enema
Blood tests such as CBC and blood chemistry
Colonoscopy
EGD
Isotope study
Sigmoidoscopy

References

Seidel HM, Ball JW, Daines JE, Benedict GW. Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006.

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Reviewer Info: Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, and physician in the Primary Care Clinic, Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 07/17/2007