"fecal matter" on abdominal x-ray?


Question:
I had an abdominal x-ray today due to bloating/swelling in my belly area (pretty bad actually). The dr said i had normal amount of gas but had a large area of fecal matter in my intestines. Is it really possibly to see that on a plain x-ray??!! i dont feel constipated.He told me to take some milk of magnesia..any thoughts?

Answers:
You mentioned in an earlier question about you increased WBC. This could possibly be what is harboring the infection. Follow his advise. You need to get that toxicity out of your system. The amoxicillan could also be causing your constipation. Be sure to drink lots of water.
it shows up on x-rays. he is basicly telling you that you're constipated, increase your water and fiber intake
yes they can see poop in your intestines on a Xray
Yes, it is very possible to see it, I've seen a lot of abdominal x-rays, and it's pretty common. Your doctor is giving you a laxative to help you clear it out, and if nothing else is wrong, it should help.
yes it is possible to see that in an xray. My son has a condition called mega colon and he was having pain and we took him to the er and they did an xray and found that he was "full of _ _ _ _ " The Dr gave him a ducolax supository and he went but he plugged the hospital toilet. He felt better. We struggle with this still. Its an ongoing thing you may only have this one time in your life but it you "clean yourself" out and it happens again you may need to be on a softner. I would talk to my regular Dr about it they usualy know your body better than an ER Dr. Good luck.
eat some Dannon Activia. Prune Flavor preferably.
Yes it is you may not feel it because we have a lot of intestines Sounds like to me you could use more fiber in your diet or more water perhaps you should ask the doctor what can be done to prevent this condition since I do not know your full history! Nurse Vicki
Yes, you can see poop on x-ray. That isn't to say that's the reason for the bloating/swelling, but lacking anything urgent that needs to be done, it's worth a try.
From a doctor's point of view, abdominal complaints are many and few of them turn out to mean anything important. The initial visit is largely a matter of making sure there isn't something that needs immediate surgery, and then a more conservative approach can be used in getting to a definitive diagnosis and treatment.
It is is very common to see fecal matter on plain film x-rays.. Most people don't realize it. A lot of times if you have not had your daily bowel movement and have an x-ray it will show up on the x-ray film. I've seem it many times. I always try to make sure I am clear before I have an x-ray.
it does show up on ex rays. like, an example here. bam margera broke his tailbone on an episode of jackass and when he got it exrayed the guys were giggleing because not only could they see his penis, but all the poop and stuff too.

i think it kind of needs to show up so they can tell if thats what the problem is or not, so whatever they give you to drink to make the x ray clearer must make it show up so they can see where it is and if it is an issue
HI there,

X-ray imaging is receptive to certain, dense areas of your body like bone. The denser the material, the less radiation that passes through. This is why when you take an x-ray, your bones come up glowing. Gas is air, simply put, and does not have a high density, however, it is apparent in an x-ray due to the shadowing it causes on the underlying structures.

Fecal matter is similar. It is somewhat dense, however, it is not dense enough to cause the radiation to behave in the manner in which it does for bone. In a normal x-ray, if you look beyond the bright, luminous bone structures, you can see intestines, organs, and fat layers.

I am not sure if your doctor was being cynical by stating that you should take milk of magnesia... he may have thought your bloating could be a direct cause of constipation. Everyone (unless prepped) will have feces in their bowels, in fact, not having feces in your bowels can be a precursor to an underlying problem. Most of the patients that I have encountered over the years find bowel gas to be a sign of gastric or digestion difficulties resulting from (the spices, textures, and flavors) of different types of food.

Your x-ray sounds normal and healthy, and I would not be alarmed. Your findings are no different than a normal transabdominal x-ray.

Hope this helps and do not hesitate to contact me with further questions.

Kelly McBride, RDMS
More Questions & Answers...
  • I had my belly button peirced about 3 month ago and it was fine but has started to bleed and is sore?
  • What can causes you to have dizzy spells all through the day at any times?
  • Please help me i beg of you!!!!?
  • I am at home with a broken leg so i am getting bored so if anyone knows of any good sites to recomend thanks?
  • My girlfirend has a terrible pain in her left side...any suggestions?
  • What could this symptom mean?
  • Poison Ivy HELL!?
  • Joint pain when lifting weights?
  • True or False...Propel water causes bladder infections?
  • The consumer health information on youqa.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
    The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
    Copyright © 2007 YouQA.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

    Health Resources