Intestinal obstruction: Role of multi-slice CT in emergency department

Objective: This article presents the characteristic CT imaging findings for different causes of intestinal obstruction, in correlation with their clinical background in emergency department. Materials and methods: Reviewing the cases (50 patients) that were presented to the emergency department (over a duration of 3 months) with acute abdomen and suspected of having intestinal obstruction, underwent multi-slice CT. Image interpretations performed by independent radiologists were compared with the final diagnosis that was based on all available clinical and lab information as well as surgical findings at operated cases. Results: Of our 50 patients, intestinal obstruction with different causes was found in 20 patients and other causes of acute abdomen (pancreatitis, bowel ischemia, etc.) in 30 patients. Cancer colon in 5 cases, Crohn’s disease in 6 cases, closed loop obstruction in one case, internal hernia in 2 cases, intussusception in one case, post-traumatic ileus in two cases, fecal impaction in one case, sigmoid volvulus in one case and cecal volvulus in one case. Conclusion: Multi-slice CT shows high diagnostic efficacy in discriminating intestinal obstruction from other causes of acute abdomen and in evaluation of different causes of intestinal obstruction in emergency department.