GI question

Anyone know what free air in an abdominal X-ray means? I'm doing questions in Robbins Q book, and they give free air or air water interface etc. Some diseases have free air and others don't have any free air. What is the significance. Thanks in advance.

rotatores said:

I'm not sure what you mean by this but...free air indicates that there has been a perforation. A lot of times you'll see free air under the diaphragm on a CXR or AAS.

rotatores
USUHS 2006

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Thanks, that makes sense because one of the questions the patient had diverticulitis. I guess we are suppose to assume it perforated.

Do you know if duodenal ulcers and gastric ulcers can be distinguished by eating foods? I heard gastric ulcers cause people to be skinny because eating food makes them sick, while duodenal ulcers cause people to be fat because eating foods alleviates the ulcer. Can you verify this or is this misinformation. Thanks