Diagnosis of colonic volvulus: findings on multidetector CT with three-dimensional reconstructions

Large bowel volvulus is a rare condition that can occur in patients who present with acute abdominal pain. Radiologists should be able to recognise its appearance on multidetector CT (MDCT) images so that the correct diagnosis can be made and catastrophic consequences can be avoided. In this article, we discuss and illustrate the MDCT and three-dimensional appearance of the various forms of large bowel volvulus. As MDCT allows the precise diagnosis of topography, mechanism and severity, this technique can provide an accurate assessment of large bowel volvulus.