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Sonographic features of mesenteric gas
S Boopathy Vijayaraghavan1, Balasundaram Krishnaraj, Venugopal Sarveswaran
1Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, India. sonoscan@vsnl.com
Summary
Sonography can identify air in the small bowel mesentery, a key sign of perforated jejunal diverticulitis. This imaging finding aids in diagnosing this acute abdominal condition.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Gastroenterology
- Abdominal Imaging
Background:
- Diverticulitis is a common cause of acute abdomen.
- Mesenteric air is an uncommon but significant finding in diverticulitis.
- Sonography is a valuable tool for evaluating acute abdominal conditions.
Observation:
- Sonography was used to examine two patients presenting with acute abdomen.
- Specific sonographic features of air within the small bowel mesentery were observed.
- These features included linear bright echoes with acoustic shadowing in the mesentery.
Findings:
- In both cases, sonography revealed air within a thickened, echogenic small bowel mesentery.
- Perforated diverticulitis of the jejunum was confirmed in both patients.
- Associated findings included peritoneal fluid and inflamed diverticula.
Implications:
- Sonographic identification of mesenteric air can suggest perforated diverticulitis.
- This imaging modality may help differentiate causes of acute abdomen.
- Further research can explore the sensitivity and specificity of sonography for mesenteric air.