CT detection of bowel infarction

Bowel infarction is a cause of acute abdominal emergency with high associated morbidity and mortality. Prior to the advent of CT, specific diagnosis was made either by mesenteric angiography or by direct visualization at surgery. This article describes the CT detection of intravascular mesenteric gas as a reliable indication of bowel infarction. Other nonspecific findings associated with bowel infarction and ischemia are also discussed.