Evaluating the Patient with Left Lower Quadrant Abdominal Pain

Left lower quadrant pain is a frequent indication for imaging in the emergency department. Most causes of pain originate from the colon, including diverticulitis, colitis, fecal impaction, and epiploic appendagitis. Left-sided urolithiasis and spontaneous hemorrhage in the retroperitoneum or rectus sheath are additional causes of pain. Computed tomography is the preferred imaging modality in the emergent setting for all of these pathologic conditions. Gynecologic, testicular, and neoplastic pathology may also cause left lower quadrant pain but are not discussed in this article.