Computed tomography findings of acute gastric peptic ulcer

To report the computed tomography (CT) findings of acute peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and to evaluate the usefulness of contrast media for diagnosis.

This retrospective study included 51 patients diagnosed with acute gastric peptic ulcer by endoscopy. Using a κ analysis, two radiologists independently reviewed contrast-enhanced emergency CTs performed within 24 h of endoscopy. Evaluation findings included low-attenuation wall thickening, focal wall thickening, focal luminal outpouching, perigastric fat stranding, ascites, adjacent lymphadenopathy, and high-density gastric contents. Of the 51 patients, 48 underwent both non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced CT, and two radiologists also evaluated the presence or absence of these findings on a non-contrast-enhanced CT. McNemar's test was used to evaluate the contrast media's usefulness.

Interobserver variability of perigastric fat stranding revealed substantial agreement between evaluators, and other findings had almost perfect agreement. High-density gastric contents were the most recognized findings (60%). Low-attenuation focal wall thickening and focal luminal outpouching were observed in relatively large numbers (~50%) of the cases on contrast-enhanced CT. The CT examinations using contrast media provided significantly higher detectability of low-attenuation wall thickening and focal luminal outpouching than CT examinations without using contrast media.

Acute PUD can be suspected in patients with nonspecific abdominal symptoms in whom emergency CT shows high-density gastric contents, focal low-attenuation wall thickening, and/or focal luminal outpouching. Our study showed that contrast media are useful for diagnosis.