KUB X-ray Terminology
A KUB (Kidney, Ureter, and Bladder) x-ray is also called "radiography of the abdomen and pelvis" or "plain abdominal radiograph." 1
Standard Nomenclature in Medical Literature
The term "KUB" is used interchangeably with several other designations in clinical practice and medical guidelines:
"Radiography abdomen and pelvis" is the formal terminology used by the American College of Radiology in their appropriateness criteria 1
"Plain abdominal X-ray" is commonly used in clinical practice, particularly in gastroenterology and oncology guidelines 2
"Scout radiograph" or "CT scout film" refers to the preliminary radiograph obtained as part of a CT scan, which is essentially equivalent to a KUB 3, 4, 5
Important Clinical Context
While these terms are synonymous, it's worth noting that the American College of Radiology explicitly states that KUB/radiography of the abdomen and pelvis has limited clinical utility in modern practice 1:
For suspected urolithiasis, KUB has poor sensitivity (53-62%) and specificity (67-69%) for detecting ureteral calculi 6
For suspected bowel obstruction, KUB has inadequate sensitivity (74-84%) and specificity (50-72%) 6
CT imaging has largely replaced KUB as the gold standard for both urinary tract and bowel obstruction evaluation 6
The terminology remains consistent across specialties, with "KUB" being the most commonly used abbreviation in clinical shorthand, while "radiography abdomen and pelvis" represents the formal radiologic nomenclature 1.