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MDCT of acute cecal conditions

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Abstract

The cecum comprises a relatively short segment of the gastrointestinal tract, but it can be affected by numerous acute conditions. Acute conditions may arise from processes primary to the cecum, such as volvulus, bascule, neoplasm, and trauma. Alternatively, acute conditions can be due to secondary to systemic or nearby pathology, such as infection, inflammatory processes, ischemia, and infarction. While it is common to suspect appendicitis as the etiology of acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain, the cecum should also be considered as a potential cause of pain, especially in the setting of an abnormal or absent appendix. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) has evolved to become the best imaging modality to evaluate patients presenting with right lower quadrant abdominal pain or suspected acute cecal pathology. Strengths of MDCT include rapid acquisition of images, high spatial resolution, and ability to create multi-planar reconstructed images. In this pictorial review, we illustrate and describe key MDCT findings for various acute cecal conditions with which the emergency radiologist should be familiar.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Abdominal Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop St, Suite 3950 PUH S. Tower, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Matthew T. Heller

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Washington & VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Mail Box 358280, S-114, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA, 98108, USA

    Puneet Bhargava

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Correspondence to Matthew T. Heller.

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Heller, M.T., Bhargava, P. MDCT of acute cecal conditions. Emerg Radiol 21, 75–82 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-013-1165-1

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