Multidisciplinary Evaluation of Acute Abdomen: Emergency Imaging, Surgical Prioritization, and Integrated Clinical Management

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Abstract
Acute abdomen remains one of the most challenging clinical conditions in emergency medicine and general surgery due to its heterogeneous etiologies, variable presentation, and high risk of rapid clinical deterioration. The objective of this review was to analyze acute abdomen as a multidisciplinary challenge through the integration of emergency medicine, radiological imaging, and clinical decision-making. A narrative review methodology based on scientific literature indexed in PubMed and Scopus was utilized, incorporating international guidelines, radiological recommendations, and evidence-based emergency surgery studies. The review evaluated major abdominal emergencies including appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, acute cholecystitis, pancreatitis, perforated viscus, mesenteric ischemia, and intra-abdominal infections. The findings demonstrated that early imaging integration, particularly computed tomography and ultrasonography, significantly improves diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic prioritization. Additionally, multidisciplinary collaboration between emergency physicians, radiologists, surgeons, intensivists, and anesthesiologists was identified as a key factor in reducing diagnostic delays and improving patient outcomes. The study also highlighted important healthcare system challenges affecting emergency abdominal care in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador, including limited imaging accessibility, emergency overcrowding, delayed specialist consultation, and interhospital transfer barriers. The evidence supports the implementation of structured multidisciplinary protocols and evidence-based diagnostic pathways to optimize emergency abdominal management. Acute abdomen should therefore be understood as a multidimensional emergency syndrome requiring coordinated interdisciplinary evaluation, rapid imaging utilization, and individualized therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety.