Radiography of ileal adaptation in the rat following jejunectomy

Six Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated radiographically and histologically for adaptive changes in the ileum following total jejunal resection. Additionally, six rats were used as controls and six rats had sham operations. Marked hypertrophy of the ileum and hyperplasia of the mucosa with thickening of the ileal wall were documented in all six of the jejunectomized rats, compared with sham and unoperated controls. Radiographic changes were demonstrated in the bowel wall in three of six resected animals. These consisted of an irregular, serrated lumen that was normal to narrowed in caliber. No radiographic or histologic changes were seen in the control or sham rats. These results correlate radiographic changes with adaptive morphology of rat ileum after jejunal resection and resemble changes of adaptation seen in humans who have had jejunal-ileal bypass, jejunal resection, or nontropical sprue.