Appendicitis in adults with incidental midgut malrotation: CT findings.

AIM: To report the computed tomography (CT) findings of acute and complicated appendicitis in adults with incidental midgut malrotation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records and CT studies of eight patients with appendicitis and incidental midgut malrotation who presented to two medical centres between 1998 and 2009 were reviewed. RESULTS: All patients presented with 1-5 days of acute abdominal pain, which was diffuse in two, left-sided in two, lower abdominal in two, and in the right lower quadrant in two patients. The inflamed appendix was right-sided in three, left-sided in three, and in the midline in two patients. Three cases were complicated by a peri-appendicular abscess, and one patient also had a small bowel obstruction. All patients had a complete non-rotation with right-sided duodenum and jejunum, and left-sided colon. All eight patients had an abnormal superior mesenteric artery-superior mesenteric vein (SMA/SMV) relationship and a dysplastic uncinate process of the pancreas. Urgent surgery was performed in six patients and the remaining two were treated conservatively. CONCLUSION: Altered anatomy in malrotation affects the typical clinical and CT findings of acute appendicitis, therefore delaying diagnosis. When CT shows focal inflammation anywhere within the abdomen, along with an abnormal SMA/SMV relationship, the position of the caecum should be ascertained and acute appendicitis ruled out.

Mesenteric panniculitis in oncologic patients: PET-CT findings.

The aim of this study is to assess the role of PET/CT in differentiating between mesenteric panniculitis (MP) and co-existing MP and mesenteric tumoural involvement. A total of 33 PET/CT examinations, of 19 oncologic patients (16 men and three women with ages ranging from 48 years to 83 years) with findings of MP on the CT part of the study were retrospectively reviewed. The FDG uptake in mesenteric nodules was recorded. The final diagnosis of malignant mesenteric involvement was based on clinical and imaging follow-up. Based on the FDG uptake in mesenteric nodules, patients were categorized as group A: increased mesenteric uptake (n=8) and group B: no mesenteric uptake (n=11). In seven of the eight patients in group A, a co-existing MP and mesenteric tumour involvement was found: one patient had a recurrent cervical carcinoma and the other six patients had lymphoma. In four of these six patients, the positive PET findings disappeared on follow-up PET/CT with complete remission while the CT findings of the MP remained unchanged. In the other two, the PET findings progressed along with clinical deterioration. In the last patient of group A, with rectal carcinoma without evidence of recurrence, the mesenteric FDG uptake was a false positive uptake. In all 11 patients with CT findings of MP and negative PET, no malignant involvement of the mesentery was diagnosed. To conclude, a negative PET has a high diagnostic accuracy in excluding tumoural mesenteric involvement while increased uptake suggests the co-existing of mesenteric deposits, particularly in patients with lymphoma.

PET-CT findings in surgically transposed ovaries.

The aim of this study is to present the PET/CT findings of surgically transposed ovaries. PET/CT studies and associated abdominal imaging studies of seven women, aged 28-43 years, with 11 transposed ovaries were retrospectively reviewed. Attention was directed to the location and the 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity of the transposed ovaries. On the CT part of the PET/CT, location of the transposed ovaries was in the ipsilateral iliac fossa or paracolic gutter abutting the anterior aspect of the ipsilateral colon (n = 6), posterolateral to the cecum (n = 4) and in the anterior abdominal cavity (n = 1). Ovaries were of soft-tissue density (n = 10 with a hypodense region in two) and one was cystic. In three patients, the transposed ovary was associated with increased FDG uptake with standard uptake values ranging from 2.4 to 4.8. Two of the latter patients had more than one PET/CT study. FDG uptake altered between studies, probably related to the performance of the study on different phases of the cycle. Menstrual history in one of the patients confirmed that the study was performed at the ovulatory-phase of the cycle. To conclude, a transposed ovary may appear on a PET-CT study as a mass with occasionally increased FDG uptake that may be related to its preserved functionality. Physicians interpreting PET/CT should be aware of surgically transposed ovaries in young female patients to avoid misdiagnosing it as tumour.

The CT findings of abdominal anticoagulant-related hematomas.

Spontaneous bleeding is a serious complication of anticoagulation that should be promptly recognized and treated. The clinical manifestations vary and are related to the site of the hemorrhage. CT, a simple and safe imaging modality, plays an important role in the accurate determination of the presence or absence of an anticoagulant-related bleed, its extent, and its precise location. This pictorial article reviews and demonstrates the CT findings of a variety of anticoagulant-related hematomas at various anatomical locations in the abdomen.

CT findings of latrogenic complications following gastrointestinal endoluminal procedures.

Abdominal CT, a simple and safe imaging modality, plays an important role in evaluating patients suspected of having abdominal complications following nonsurgical gastrointestinal procedures, to accurately determine the presence or absence of such insults. This pictorial article reviews and demonstrates the CT findings of various complications following upper endoscopy, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic US, colonoscopy, and enemas (barium as well as cleansing).

Congenital anomalies of the spleen.

Various congenital anomalies may affect the spleen, starting with common anomalies, such as an accessory spleen, up to rare conditions such as a wandering spleen and polysplenia. Most of these anatomic variants have no clinical significance; they need, however, to be recognized by the radiologist as such. Awareness of these variants is important for the radiologist to interpret the findings correctly and avoid mistaking them for a clinically significant abnormality. In this review we illustrate the spectrum of congenital anomalies of the spleen and stress pitfalls and possible complications resulting from these anomalies.

Minimally invasive management of urolithiasis.

The management of urolithiasis has radically changed over the last two decades. Open surgery has been almost completely replaced by minimally invasive procedures, mainly extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and ureteroscopy (URS). Although these treatment modalities have been proven to be very safe and effective, serious complications can occur. Prompt diagnosis is often essential and may even be lifesaving. Radiologists play an important role in this setting, since many of these complications can be readily diagnosed by imaging. Awareness of the wide spectrum of complications may be crucial in interpreting imaging studies of patients who have undergone one of these procedures. This article reviews the contemporary management of ureteric stones with ESWL and URS and illustrates the radiological findings of complications of these procedures.

Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in asymptomatic children: the value of the finding in various imaging modalities.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in asymptomatic children. We prospectively studied 189 consecutive asymptomatic children from the outpatients' nephrological clinics who were referred for abdominal ultrasound. For comparison, we retrospectively reviewed the abdominal CT studies of 99 children, performed following blunt abdominal trauma. The children of both groups were divided into four subgroups according to their ages. The size, the number and the morphology of mesenteric lymph nodes were assessed. On abdominal ultrasound, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were detected in 55 of 189 asymptomatic children (29.1%). The longitudinal diameter of the lymph nodes ranged between 5 mm and 19 mm. These lymph nodes were arranged in clusters (three to nine in number in a cluster). All the lymph nodes were oval-shaped, flattened, and without any discomfort following graded transducer compression. On abdominal CT, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes were diagnosed in 28 of the 99 children (28.3%). These lymph nodes measured more than 5 mm and were arranged in clusters (three or more in number). In seven of these children associated minimal mural thickening of the terminal ileum was seen. The presence of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes in asymptomatic children of all ages and in both sexes is a common, non-specific finding and should be evaluated only in the appropriated clinical context.

Congenital internal hernia as a cause of small bowel obstruction: CT findings in 11 adult patients.

The aim of this study is to report the CT findings in patients proved to have congenital internal hernia (CIH) as a cause of small bowel obstruction (SBO). The CT scans of 11 patients (9 men and 2 women, with ages ranging from 20 years to 95 years (mean 60.7 years), presenting with clinical symptoms and signs of SBO without previous abdominal surgery or trauma, were retrospectively reviewed. In all patients features of SBO were seen. In addition, in nine of them a saclike mass, containing dilated small bowel loops with mesenteric vessels converging toward its orifice was demonstrated and a pre-operative diagnosis of an incarcerated internal hernia was suggested. In the other two, a closed loop obstruction was seen without an identifiable cause. Mural thickening of the entrapped loops within the hernial sac was seen in five patients, with hypoperfusion in four of them, blurring of the mesenteric vessels with localized mesenteric fluid was demonstrated in seven and free peritoneal fluid in 10. All patients were operated on following the CT and an incarcerated CIH was confirmed. Gangrenous bowel was present at exploration in seven cases. One patient died. In conclusion, in patients with intact abdomen and SBO, CT may be the first imaging modality to discover a clinically unsuspected CIH, which requires prompt surgical intervention. Radiologists should be aware of the CT features suggestive of a SBO caused by CIH, i.e. a saclike mass of dilated small bowel loops, as a correct diagnosis will influence patient management and prognosis.

Torsion of a normal ovary in a post-pubertal female: unenhanced helical CT appearance.

This case report presents the CT features of torsion of normal adnexa in an adult woman. Unenhanced helical CT, initially performed for clinically suspected acute ureterolithiasis, established the diagnosis.

CT diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a femoral hernia.

We present the first case, to our knowledge, of a patient with a CT diagnosis of acute appendicitis strangulated in a femoral hernia, a known but very rare entity. CT features of acute appendicitis within the hernia established the correct diagnosis. The pathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of this rare location of appendicitis.

Strangulated small bowel obstruction related to chronic torsion of an epiploic appendix: CT findings.

The role of CT in the evaluation of patients with small bowel obstruction, with emphasis on the findings of strangulating obstruction, has been extensively described in the literature. We report a rare case of small bowel volvulus related to a heterogeneous abdominal mass detected on CT. On microscopic examination the mass proved to be a chronically torted epiploic appendix.

CT findings in patients with familial Mediterranean fever during an acute abdominal attack.

The aim of this study is to present the abdominal CT findings of patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) examined during an acute abdominal attack. CT scans of 17 patients (10 women and 7 men; age range 11-45 years) were retrospectively reviewed. Attention was directed to mesenteric or peritoneal abnormalities and to the presence of appendiceal pathology. Patients were divided into two groups; group A (n=14) consisted of patients with an acute abdominal attack caused by FMF, and group B (n=3) consisted of patients whose attack proved to be owing to a separate pathology requiring surgery. Characteristic CT findings of acute abdomen in FMF included mesenteric pathology (n=12), mainly of engorged vessels with thickened mesenteric folds, mesenteric lymphadenopathy (n=6) and ascites (n=6). Signs of focal peritonitis were found in four patients. Radiologists should be familiar with such CT findings of peritoneal irritation in patients with FMF during an acute attack, and may suggest this clinical diagnosis in the proper clinical setting in a patient who has not been previously diagnosed. Alternatively, the radiologist should be aware of the possibility of a concurrent acute appendicitis or other acute abdominal pathology in patients with known FMF and should search for it.

CT of a thickened-wall gall bladder.

This pictorial article reviews the various clinical entities that may cause mural thickening of the gall bladder encountered on contrast enhanced CT.

Pictorial review: adult intussusception--a CT diagnosis.

Intussusception, usually thought of as a childhood condition, may be encountered in adults as well, and is then more often associated with underlying pathology. While the condition is mostly unsuspected clinically, as patients present with non-specific abdominal pain that is often of long duration, CT findings are characteristic. Examples are shown of intussusception both in the small bowel and colon. Awareness of these findings allows the radiologist to make the correct diagnosis.

Lung metastasis invading the left atrium--CT diagnosis.

A case of metastatic colonic adenocarcinoma invading the left atrium is reported in a patient with clinical signs of cardiac tamponade. The intracavitary extension of the tumour was clearly demonstrated by contrast enhanced CT. As CT plays an important role in the evaluation of patients with intrathoracic masses, intravenous contrast medium is recommended in those cases with associated clinical symptoms of heart disease or pericardial effusion. Its use may establish the diagnosis of cardiac involvement.

Acute appendicitis with intestinal non-rotation presenting with partial small bowel obstruction diagnosed on CT.

The findings of acute appendicitis on CT have been extensively described in the literature. This is a report of a case of acute appendicitis in a patient with intestinal non-rotation presenting with partial small bowel obstruction. Analysis of the CT findings allowed a correct diagnosis.

Pictorial review. CT of duodenal pathology.

This pictorial review presents the CT findings in different pathological entities of the duodenum. The aim of the article is to demonstrate the contribution of a common imaging modality, i.e. abdominal CT, in the diagnosis of various duodenal disorders.

Pyelocalyceal diverticulum: the imaging spectrum with emphasis on the ultrasound features.

Clinical and imaging data of 11 patients with pyelocalyceal diverticulum were retrospectively examined. Four patients suffered from ipsilateral flank pain, one from recurrent urinary tract infection and the other six from unrelated symptoms. All patients underwent ultrasound as the initial imaging study. In two cases ultrasound was the only examination performed. Additional imaging studies were obtained in the other nine patients (abdominal radiography in six cases, intravenous urography (IVU) in five and CT in four). Ultrasound suggested the diagnosis of pyelocalyceal diverticulum in eight cases owing to the presence of echogenic and mobile material within the cyst-like lesion. In three cases the ultrasound appearance was similar and indistinguishable from a simple cyst and the diagnosis was made by another imaging study IVU in two cases and CT in one). We suggest that ultrasound examination is the best imaging method for the diagnosis of a pyelocalyceal diverticulum, and no further imaging modalities are required when mobile echogenic material is seen. In uncertain cases, another relatively inexpensive imaging study should be added such as abdominal radiography or IVU.

CT findings in congenital anomalies of the spleen.

There is a wide range of congenital anomalies of the spleen. Some are common, such as splenic lobulation and accessory spleen. Other less common conditions, such as wandering spleen and polysplenia, have particular clinical significance. Radiologists need to be aware of the various congenital variants of the spleen in order to recognize clinically important anomalies and to avoid mistaking less significant ones for an abnormality. In this pictorial review, the embryology of congenital anomalies of the spleen as well as their appearance on CT are described, diagnostic pitfalls are identified and complications of the anomalies are discussed.