Ultrasonic recognition of parenchymal gas

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Gastroenterology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Febrile illness can present with intra-abdominal pathology.
• Parenchymal gas on ultrasound requires further investigation.

Observation:

• Abdominal sonography was performed in six febrile patients with suspected parenchymal gas.
• Radiographic confirmation was obtained in five patients.

Findings:

• Four patients demonstrated gas-containing abscesses.
• One patient had gas within a hepatic hematoma.
• Another patient showed subcapsular hepatic gas, likely from mesenteric dissection secondary to pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis.

Implications:

• Sonographic detection of parenchymal gas warrants prompt radiographic correlation.
• This finding can indicate serious intra-abdominal conditions like abscesses or hematomas.
• Understanding the origin of hepatic gas is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.