Multidetector CT of Surgically Proven Blunt Bowel and Mesenteric Injury

Blunt traumatic injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Unintentional injury represents the leading cause of death in the United States for all persons between the ages of 1 and 44 years. In the setting of blunt abdominal trauma, the reported rate of occurrence of bowel and mesenteric injuries ranges from 1% to 5%. Despite the relatively low rate of blunt bowel and mesenteric injury in patients with abdominal and pelvic trauma, delays in diagnosis are associated with increased rates of sepsis, a prolonged course in the intensive care unit, and increased mortality. During the past 2 decades, as multidetector computed tomography (CT) has emerged as an essential tool in emergency radiology, several direct and indirect imaging features have been identified that are associated with blunt bowel and mesenteric injury. The imaging findings in cases of blunt bowel and mesenteric injury can be subtle and may be seen in the setting of multiple complex injuries, such as multiple solid-organ injuries and spinal fractures. Familiarity with the various imaging features of blunt bowel and mesenteric injury, as well as an understanding of their clinical importance with regard to the care of the patient, is essential to making a timely diagnosis. Once radiologists are familiar with the spectrum of findings of blunt bowel and mesenteric injury, they will be able to make timely diagnoses that will lead to improved patient outcomes. ^©RSNA, 2017.