J Korean Radiol Soc.  1995 Oct;33(4):569-574.

CT Findings of Bowel and Mesenteric Injury

• Yoo HS
• Kim HS
• Kim MJ
• Lee JT
• Lee HM

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the role of CT in the diagnosis of bowel and mesenteric injury we studied the CT findings and its usefulness in patients of abdominal trauma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
CT scans of 27 patients who were confirmed to have bowel and/or mesenteric injury due to abdominal trauma were analyzed retrospectively. Of these 27 patients 15 had bowel injury only and 12 had both bowel and mesenteric injury. CT findings analysed were bowel wall thickening, presence or absence of highly attenuated bowel wall, sentinel clot, mesenteric infiltration, peritoneal fluid collection and free intraabdominal air in cases with bowel injury only and with both bowel and mesenteric injury respectively. Ten patients had other accompanying abdominal injuries, such as liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, bladder injuries, intraperitoneal abscess or retroperitoneal hemorrhage.
RESULTS
Findings observed were bowel wall thickening in 23 cases(85%), peritoneal fluid collection in 21 (78%), highly attenuated bowel wall in 19(70%), mesenteric infiltration in 17(63%), free intraperitoneal air in 10 (37%) and sentinel clot in 7(26%). Pneumoperioneum were observed in 10 of 24 patients(41.7%) having bowel perforation. Two cases did not show any CT findings suggesting bowel and/or mesenteric injury. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of the CT findings between the patient group with bowel injury only and the patient group with both bowel and meseneric injury.
CONCLUSION
CT scan is a useful tool in evaluating the degree and extent of bowel and/or mesenteric injury as well as in planning the patient's management.

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Injuries
Abscess
Ascitic Fluid
Diagnosis
Hemorrhage
Humans
Kidney
Liver
Pancreas
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Spleen
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Urinary Bladder