Abstract
The objective of this article is to assess the computed tomography (CT) findings of small bowel obstruction (SBO) complicated by ischemia. SBO is a frequent clinical entity characterized by high morbidity and mortality. The radiologic aim is not just to diagnose the obstruction itself but to rule out the presence of complications related to SBO. This is crucial for differentiating which patients can be safely treated non-operatively from the ones who may need an urgent surgical approach. The main complication of SBO is intestinal ischemia. In the emergency setting, CT imaging is the modality of choice for SBO because of its ability to assess the bowel wall, the supporting mesentery and peritoneal cavity all in one. On the other hand, the radiologist who documents an intestinal ischemia should think about SBO as possible cause. In this case, the main finding which helps the radiologist in the identification of SBO is the presence of multiple and packed valvulae conniventes in the dilated bowel wall and the “transition zone” that indicates the passage between compressed and decompressed small bowel, otherwise the localization of the obstruction cause. Once the site of obstruction has been recognized, the other issue is to assess the cause of obstruction, considering that the most common cause of SBO remains “unidentified” and related to intra-abdominal adhesions. After that, the following most important point is to rule out the presence of an ischemic bowel and mesenteric changes associated to SBO. CT signs of bowel ischemia include reduced or increased bowel wall enhancement, mesenteric edema or engorgement, fluid or free air in the peritoneal cavity. This condition usually leads to an urgent laparotomy and, in some cases, to a surgical resection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Frasure SE, Hildreth A, Takhar S, Stone MB. Emergency department patients with small bowel obstruction: What is the anticipated clinical course? World J Emerg Surg 2007;2:16. http://www.wjem.com.cn/default/articlef/index/id/463 (accessed February 6, 2020).
Jancelewicz T, Vu LT, Shawo AE, Yeh B, Gasper WJ, Harris HW. Predicting Strangulated Small Bowel Obstruction: An Old Problem Revisited. J Gastrointest Surg 2009;13:93–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-008-0610-z.
Millet I, Ruyer A, Alili C, Curros Doyon F, Molinari N, Pages E, et al. Adhesive Small-Bowel Obstruction: Value of CT in Identifying Findings Associated with the Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Treatment. Radiology 2014;273:425–32. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.14132872.
Thompson WM, Kilani RK, Smith BB, Thomas J, Jaffe TA, Delong DM, et al. Accuracy of Abdominal Radiography in Acute Small-Bowel Obstruction: Does Reviewer Experience Matter? Am J Roentgenol 2007;188:W233–8. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.06.0817.
Mallo R, Salem L, Lalani T, Flum D. Computed Tomography Diagnosis of Ischemia and Complete Obstruction in Small Bowel Obstruction: A Systematic Review. J Gastrointest Surg 2005;9:690–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gassur.2004.10.006.
Santillan CS. Computed Tomography of Small Bowel Obstruction. Radiol Clin North Am 2013;51:17–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcl.2012.09.002.
Fukuya T, Hawes DR, Lu CC, Chang PJ, Barloon TJ. CT diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction: efficacy in 60 patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1992;158:765–9; discussion 771-2. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.158.4.1546591.
Berritto D, Iacobellis F, Mazzei MA, Volterrani L, Guglielmi G, Brunese L, et al. MDCT in ischaemic colitis: how to define the aetiology and acute, subacute and chronic phase of damage in the emergency setting. Br J Radiol. 2016;89(1061):20150821. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20150821
Mazzei MA, Guerrini S, Lucii G, Mazzei FG, Volterrani L. Bowel obstruction and intestinal ischemia: warnings for radiologists. Abdom Radiol (New York) 2020;45:887–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02252-4.
ten Broek RPG, Krielen P, Di Saverio S, Coccolini F, Biffl WL, Ansaloni L, et al. Bologna guidelines for diagnosis and management of adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO): 2017 update of the evidence-based guidelines from the world society of emergency surgery ASBO working group. World J Emerg Surg 2018;13:24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-018-0185-2.
Musiienko AM, Shakerian R, Gorelik A, Thomson BNJ, Skandarajah AR. Impact of introduction of an acute surgical unit on management and outcomes of small bowel obstruction. ANZ J Surg 2016;86:831–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.13238.
Shih S-C. Adhesive small bowel obstruction: How long can patients tolerate conservative treatment. World J Gastroenterol 2003;9:603. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v9.i3.603.
Zalcman M, Sy M, Donckier V, Closset J, Gansbeke D Van. Helical CT Signs in the Diagnosis of Intestinal Ischemia in Small-Bowel Obstruction. Am J Roentgenol 2000;175:1601–7. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.175.6.1751601.
Frager D, Baer JW, Medwid SW, Rothpearl A, Bossart P. Detection of intestinal ischemia in patients with acute small-bowel obstruction due to adhesions or hernia: efficacy of CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1996;166(1):67-71. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.166.1.8571907
Federle MP, Jeffrey B, Woodward PJ, Borhani A. Diagnostic Imaging: Abdomen. Amirsys, Inc; 2010.
Di Mizio R, Scaglione M. Small-Bowel Obstruction CT Features with Plain Film and US Correlations. 2007.
Diamond M, Lee J, LeBedis CA. Small Bowel Obstruction and Ischemia. Radiol Clin North Am 2019;57:689–703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcl.2019.02.002.
Maglinte DDT, Kelvin FM, Rowe MG, Bender GN, Rouch DM. Small-Bowel Obstruction: Optimizing Radiologic Investigation and Nonsurgical Management. Radiology 2001;218:39–46. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.218.1.r01ja5439.
Pourmand A, Dimbil U, Drake A, Shokoohi H. The Accuracy of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Detecting Small Bowel Obstruction in Emergency Department. Emerg Med Int 2018;2018:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3684081.
Lazarus DE, Slywotsky C, Bennett GL, Megibow AJ, Macari M. Frequency and Relevance of the “Small-Bowel Feces” Sign on CT in Patients with Small-Bowel Obstruction. Am J Roentgenol 2004;183:1361–6. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.183.5.1831361.
Mazzei MA, Guerrini S, Cioffi Squitieri N, Genovese EA, Mazzei FG, Volterrani L. [Diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia/infarction in the era of multislice CT]. Recenti Prog Med 2012;103:435–7. https://doi.org/10.1701/1166.12884.
Boudiaf M, Soyer P, Terem C, Pelage JP, Maissiat E, Rymer R. CT Evaluation of Small Bowel Obstruction. RadioGraphics 2001;21:613–24. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiographics.21.3.g01ma03613.
Ros PR, Huprich JE. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® on Suspected Small-Bowel Obstruction. J Am Coll Radiol 2006;3:838–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2006.09.018.
Maglinte DD., Heitkamp DE, Howard TJ, Kelvin FM, Lappas JC. Current concepts in imaging of small bowel obstruction. Radiol Clin North Am 2003;41:263–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0033-8389(02)00114-8.
Frager DH, Baer JW. Role of CT in evaluating patients with small-bowel obstruction. Semin Ultrasound, CT MRI 1995;16:127–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/0887-2171(95)90005-5.
Gopee-Ramanan P1, Patlas MN, Pindiprolu B, Katz DS. Utility of biphasic multi-detector computed tomography in suspected acute mesenteric ischemia in the emergency department. Emergency Radiology, 25 Jun 2019, 26(5):523-529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-019-01698-9 PMID: 31240505
Gazelle GS, Goldberg MA, Wittenberg J, Halpern EF, Pinkney L, Mueller PR. Efficacy of CT in distinguishing small-bowel obstruction from other causes of small-bowel dilatation. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1994;162:43–7. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.162.1.8273687.
Silva AC, Pimenta M, Guimaraes LS. Small Bowel Obstruction: What to Look For. RadioGraphics 2009;29:423–39. https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.292085514.
Bouassida M, Laamiri G, Zribi S, Slama H, Mroua B, Sassi S, et al. Predicting Intestinal Ischaemia in Patients with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Simple Score. World J Surg 2020;44:1444–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05377-6.
O’Malley RG, Al-Hawary MM, Kaza RK, Wasnik AP, Platt JF, Francis IR. MDCT findings in small bowel obstruction: implications of the cause and presence of complications on treatment decisions. Abdom Imaging 2015;40:2248–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-015-0477-x.
Balthazar EJ, Birnbaum BA, Megibow AJ, Gordon RB, Whelan CA, Hulnick DH. Closed-loop and strangulating intestinal obstruction: CT signs. Radiology 1992;185:769–75.https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.185.3.1438761.
Calame P, Malakhia A, Turco C, Grillet F, Piton G, Delabrousse E. Transmural Bowel Necrosis From Acute Mesenteric Ischemia and Strangulated Small-Bowel Obstruction: Distinctive CT Features. Am J Roentgenol 2020;214:90–5. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.19.21693.
Ahualli J. The Target Sign: Bowel Wall. Radiology 2005;234:549–50. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2342031015.
Saba L, Berritto D, Iacobellis F, Scaglione M, Castaldo S, Cozzolino S, et al. Acute arterial mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion: macroscopic and MRI findings, preliminary report. World J Gastroenterol. 2013 Oct 28;19(40):6825-33. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v19.i40.6825. PMID: 24187457; PMCID: PMC3812481.
Guerrini S, Bucalossi A, Cioffi Squitieri N, Mazzei FG, Volterrani L, Mazzei MA. Ischemic colitis diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging during lenalidomide treatment in a patient with relapsed multiple myeloma. Tumori. 2016;102(Suppl. 2):https://doi.org/10.5301/tj.5000392. Published 2016 Nov 11. https://doi.org/10.5301/tj.5000392
Mazzei MA, Guerrini S, et al. Reperfusion in non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia (NOMI): effectiveness of CT in an emergency setting. Br J Radiol. 2016; 89 (1061): 20150956. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20150956
Furukawa A, Kanasaki S, Kono N, Wakamiya M, Tanaka T, Takahashi M, et al. CT Diagnosis of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia from Various Causes. Am J Roentgenol 2009;192:408–16. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.08.1138.
Mazzei MA, Mazzei FG, Marrelli D, Imbriaco G, Guerrini S, Vindigni C, et al. Computed tomographic evaluation of mesentery: diagnostic value in acute mesenteric ischemia. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2012;36:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1097/rct.0b013e31823b4465.
Khurana B. The Whirl Sign. Radiology 2003;226:69–70. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2261011392.
Lassandro F, Valente T, Rea G, Lassandro G, Golia E, Brunese L, et al. Imaging assessment and clinical significance of pneumatosis in adult patients. Radiol Med 2015;120:96–104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-014-0461-5.
Lassandro F, Scaglione M, Rossi G, Grassi R, Romano L. Portomesenteric vein gas: diagnostic and prognostic value. Emerg Radiol 2002;9:96–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-002-0206-y.
Lassandro F, Mangoni de Santo Stefano ML, Porto AM, Grassi R, Scaglione M, Rotondo A. Intestinal pneumatosis in adults: diagnostic and prognostic value. Emerg Radiol 2010;17:361–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-010-0868-9.
Reginelli A, Genovese E, Cappabianca S, Iacobellis F, Berritto D, Fonio P, et al. Intestinal Ischemia: US-CT findings correlations. Crit Ultrasound J 2013;5 Suppl 1:S7. https://doi.org/10.1186/2036-7902-5-s1-s7.
Mazzei MA. Acute mesenteric ischemia: guidelines of the World Society of Emergency Surgery: a brief radiological commentary. World J Emerg Surg 2018;13:34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-018-0197-y.
Mazzei MA, Guerrini S, Cioffi Squitieri N, Imbriaco G, Mazzei FG, Volterrani L. Non-obstructive mesenteric ischemia after cardiovascular surgery: not so uncommon. Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Off J Assoc Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Asia 2014;20:253–5. https://doi.org/10.5761/atcs.le.12.02154.
Mazzei MA, Volterrani L. Nonocclusive mesenteric ischaemia: think about it. Radiol Med 2015;120:85–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-014-0460-6.
Fitzpatrick LA, Rivers-Bowerman MD, Thipphavong S, Clarke SE, Rowe JA, Costa AF. Pearls, Pitfalls, and Conditions that Mimic Mesenteric Ischemia at CT. RadioGraphics 2020;40:545–61. https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.2020190122.
Cox VL, Tahvildari AM, Johnson B, Wei W, Jeffrey RB. Bowel obstruction complicated by ischemia: analysis of CT findings. Abdom Radiol 2018;43:3227–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-018-1651-8.
Funding
None to declare.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Scaglione, M., Galluzzo, M., Santucci, D. et al. Small bowel obstruction and intestinal ischemia: emphasizing the role of MDCT in the management decision process. Abdom Radiol 47, 1541–1555 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-020-02800-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-020-02800-3