The Röntgenologic diagnosis of surgical lesions of the stomach and duodenum / by George Emerson Brewer, M.D. and Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. of New York City.

  • Brewer, George Emerson, b.1861
Date:
[1915?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Röntgenologic diagnosis of surgical lesions of the stomach and duodenum / by George Emerson Brewer, M.D. and Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. of New York City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE RONTGENOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF SURGICAL LESIONS OF THE STOMACH AND DUODENUM * By George Emerson Brewer, M.D. AND Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. of New York City The object of this communication is to report a series of cases fur¬ nishing data which may help to solve two important questions: First, is there reason to believe from our present experience that the Rontgen ray will eventually prove as valuable for the diagnosis of surgical lesions of the stomach and duodenum as for the diagnosis of fractures and urinary calculi? Second, what method of Rontgen examination gives the most accu¬ rate results ? In the first question it will be noted that we have used for comparison only the diagnosis of fractures and urinary calculi. While rontgenology has proved of great assistance in the solution of many diagnostic problems, such as joint and bone diseases, pulmonary tuber¬ culosis, aneurisms, sinus infections, etc., the surgeon accepts the ront- genographic evidence of fractures and renal and ureteral calculi as final, and of greater value than the clinical history or the results of a most painstaking physical examination, or both methods combined. As a result of the accuracy with which these lesions are recognized by skilled rontgenologists, few if any experienced surgeons of the present day will accept the responsibility of treating a complicated fracture or of advising surgical intervention in a case of urinary calculi without the aid of a rontgenologic examination, if it is possible or practicable to obtain one. What then is the present status of rontgenology in surgical lesions of the stomach and duodenum? A brief review of the history and development of gastro-intestinal rontgenology may help to answer this question. The first report on rontgenographic examination of the human stomach was published by Hemmeter in 1896.* 1 Early rontgenograms of the stomach were blurred and unsatisfactory, because long exposures were required. The fluoroscopic screen was therefore the more success- * Read before the American Surgical Society, April 9, 1914. 1 Hemmeter: Photography of the Human Stomach by the Roentgen Method, Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., p. 609, June 18, 1896.