Computed tomography in pneumatosis intestinalis: differential diagnosis and therapeutic consequences

Case reports of five patients with pneumatosis intestinalis diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) are presented. Etiology, differential diagnoses, and clinical consequences arising from CT imaging are discussed. In four of the patients, pneumatosis was found to be secondary to gastric ulcer, colon carcinoma, metastasis in the mesentery, and trauma-induced mesenteric ischemia. In one patient, the etiology remained elusive. Using CT, both the extent and the distribution pattern of pneumatosis could be depicted, allowing for differentiation of primary and secondary forms and assessment of prognosis. Evaluation with a lung window is a pre-requisite for reliable diagnosis of pneumatosis with CT. The presence of gas in the mesenteric or portal venous system in mesenteric ischemia is indicative of an unfavorable prognosis.