Imaging acute appendicitis.

Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2008 Oct;29(5):293-307

Authors: Brown MA

Acute appendicitis is the most common entity requiring emergent abdominal surgery. Early diagnosis is critical to proper management. Patients often present with a classic clinical picture and may not require imaging, although many patients have nonspecific signs and symptoms. It is in these cases that imaging plays a large role. Imaging options include computed tomography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance. The following discussion addresses the different imaging modality options with regard to diagnostic performance, indications, and interpretation in patients with suspected acute appendicitis.

PMID: 18853837 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Multidetector row computed tomography of small bowel obstruction.

Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2008 Oct;29(5):308-21

Authors: Desser TS, Gross M

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common clinical problem, and clinical signs and symptoms often do not provide sufficient information for diagnosis or to guide management. During the past two decades, computed tomography has become a mainstay in the evaluation of patients with known or suspected small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography scans should be performed and interpreted with attention to establishing the diagnosis of small bowel obstruction, locating the transition point indicating the site of obstruction, and determining the cause of the obstruction. Complications that suggest the need for urgent surgical intervention, such as closed loop obstruction with superimposed ischemia and/or volvulus, should be sought in every case. Current generation multidetector row computed tomography scanners, with their isotropic resolution, now permit high-quality reformatted images to be obtained in multiple planes and facilitate identification of the transition point and other findings in SBO. Radiologists should be familiar with the myriad features of uncomplicated and complicated small bowel obstruction, which are reviewed in this article.

PMID: 18853838 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Imaging assessment of acute pancreatitis: a review.

Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2008 Oct;29(5):322-40

Authors: Scaglione M, Casciani E, Pinto A, Andreoli C, De Vargas M, Gualdi GF

Acute pancreatitis is one of the more commonly encountered etiologies in the emergency setting. While in the majority of cases it is a self-limiting disease which responds rapidly to conservative management, in some cases acute pancreatitis may present with a more pronounced, sometimes dramatic, clinical picture and requires immediate medical care to avoid fatal complication. In this context, imaging plays a significant role because it enables identification of the development of the disease and local/systemic complications. The purpose of this article is to offer an overview of the disease and a spectrum of imaging findings in patients with acute pancreatitis, emphasizing the role of ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging according to the appropriate clinical context and advantages and limitations of each imaging modality are examined.

PMID: 18853839 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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