[Radiological changes of adult sprue (author's transl)]

Radiological findings of 10 adult patients with sprue were compared with histology. Patients suffering from subtotal villous atrophy were showing distinct radiological changes. The most important finding of sprue is the dilatation of the small intestine. Further typical changes are segmentations and fragmentations as well as mucous hypertrophy and the sign of moulage. In a 57-year-old female patient who was suffering from sprue for 35 years, a carcinoma of the small bowl was found and was resected during laparatomy. Sprue is a premalignant disease; therefore radiological investigations are of special importance. Therapy by a diet without gluten can reduce the radiological changes to normal, very bad changes rarely can be reduced totally. Radiological changes are not significant, but the diagnosis can be made in most cases by investigation with barium.