SUMMARY
AbstractIt is common practice to do a routine abdominal X-ray prior to doing an abdominal ultrasound investigation. This study questioned the value of the abdominal film to determine whether it should be mandatory. In this prospective, descriptive clinical study at Tygerberg Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital, we included 100 consecutive patients referred to the Ultrasound Department for an abdominal ultrasound, for a variety of indications.An ultrasound of the abdomen was performed and the abdominal film evaluated for each patient. The examinations were performed within 24 hours of each other. The abnormalities were observed and the ultrasound and X-ray diagnoses recorded. The abdominal film played a vital role in ultrasound diagnosis in only 2% of patients, while in 8% it played a positive role.