Small-bowel obstruction is an old and common problem. Like most illnesses, its diagnosis and treatment continue to evolve. The radiologic approach to the investigation of small-bowel obstruction and the timing of surgical intervention have undergone considerable changes during the past decade. In this review, the authors analyze the recently described radiologic techniques used in the examination of patients with suspected mechanical small-bowel obstruction, revisit the controversy of the short versus long decompression tube, and provide insights on how to optimize the radiologic investigation and nonsurgical management of small-bowel obstruction.