[Imaging of digestive involvements after irradiation]. / Imagerie des atteintes digestives après irradiation.

ABSTRACT

The main limiting factor of the abdominal and pelvic radiotherapy is radiation damage of the digestive organs. The intestinal abnormalities resulting from irradiation are due to damaged blood vessels and connective tissue. Radiation changes in the small bowel and the recto-sigmoid are frequent and often symptomatic. Imaging is able to detect the induced radiation damage, even the asymptomatic scars. It is relevant to differentiate them from tumoral recurrence. The lesion location within the irradiated volume is important in the evaluation of post-radiotherapy imaging. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detect asymptomatic lesions in the liver, spleen and pancreas. We insist on the CT-imaging of induced radiotherapy changes, which are of major importance during the follow-up of irradiated patients.