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Helical CT in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding

Olivier Ernst1, Philippe Bulois, Sophie Saint-Drenant

  • 1Department of Radiology, Hopital Huriez, 1 rue Polonovski, 59037 Lille, France. pcih@chru-lille.fr

European Radiology
|January 24, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Helical CT effectively locates acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding sites. This imaging technique aids physicians in diagnosing the source of bleeding in the small bowel and colon.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a common clinical challenge.
  • Accurate localization of the bleeding source is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of helical computed tomography (CT) in identifying the location of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Main Methods:

  • A three-phase helical CT scan of the abdomen was performed on 24 patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • CT findings such as hyperdensity, contrast enhancement, vascular extravasation, bowel wall thickening, polyps, tumors, or vascular dilation were used to diagnose the bleeding site.
  • CT results were correlated with colonoscopy, enteroscopy, or surgical findings.

Main Results:

  • Helical CT successfully identified the bleeding site in 19 out of 24 patients.
  • The bleeding source was located in the colon for 14 patients and the small bowel for 5 patients.
  • CT correctly identified 11 colonic hemorrhages and 4 small bowel hemorrhages, and diagnosed the primary lesion in 10 patients.

Conclusions:

  • Helical CT is a valuable tool for diagnosing the location of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • The technique assists clinicians in pinpointing bleeding sources within the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Further investigation may refine CT's role in managing gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

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