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Transient small-bowel intussusception in children on CT

Peter J Strouse1, Michael A DiPietro, Fermin Saez

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. pstrouse@umich.edu

Pediatric Radiology
|April 16, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Most small-bowel intussusceptions found in children via CT scans are temporary and not clinically significant. This study reviewed CT scans to assess the frequency and importance of these findings in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Gastrointestinal Imaging

Background:

  • Small-bowel intussusception is a rare condition in children.
  • CT scans are increasingly used for diagnosing abdominal pathologies in children.
  • The clinical significance of incidentally detected small-bowel intussusceptions on CT is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of small-bowel intussusception in pediatric patients.
  • To evaluate the clinical significance of small-bowel intussusception identified on CT scans.
  • To differentiate between transient and clinically significant intussusceptions.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of abdominal CT reports from July 1995 to April 2002.
  • Identification of small-bowel intussusceptions based on characteristic imaging features.
  • Exclusion of ileocolic intussusceptions and those related to feeding tubes.
  • Correlation with medical records and follow-up imaging studies.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-five pediatric patients with small-bowel intussusception were identified.
  • No patient required surgery for persistent intussusception.
  • Resolution of intussusception was observed in 10 out of 14 patients with repeat immediate CT.
  • Underlying pathology requiring treatment was found in 4 patients; 21 patients had no clear correlation between symptoms and CT findings.

Conclusions:

  • Small-bowel intussusceptions identified in children on CT are predominantly transient.
  • Most identified cases are of no clinical significance.
  • CT findings should be interpreted in the clinical context to avoid unnecessary interventions.
Abstract

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