Unilateral Abdominal Mass in the Right or Left Upper Quadrant

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

The presence of a unilateral abdominal mass in the right or left upper quadrant can be indicative of various pathologies affecting the organs located in these areas. Detection of a mass during physical examination may prompt the need for further evaluation to determine its nature and origin. Abdominal masses can vary in size, consistency, and mobility, and may be associated with a range of symptoms depending on the underlying cause.

Condition	Symptoms and Clinical Signs	Suspicion Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Renal Carcinoma	Flank pain or discomfort, haematuria, weight loss, fatigue, fever, palpable mass in the renal area, hypertension	Clinical history, clinical symptoms	Abdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT/MRI, renal biopsy
Unilateral Hydronephrosis	Flank pain, decreased urine flow, recurrent urinary infections, nausea, vomiting, haematuria, palpable renal mass	Clinical history, clinical symptoms	Abdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT/MRI
Renal Cyst	Generally asymptomatic, but may cause flank pain, haematuria, urinary infection, palpable mass in the renal area	Clinical history, clinical symptoms	Abdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT/MRI
Dilated Gallbladder	Right upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, palpable mass in the right upper quadrant (Courvoisier’s sign)	Clinical history, clinical symptoms	Abdominal ultrasound, ERCP, blood tests, abdominal CT/MRI