Role Of Abdominal Computed Tomography Research Articles

The Role of Abdominal CT in Determining Perforation Findings and Site in Patients with Gastrointestinal Tract Perforation.

In this study, we investigated the role of abdominal computed tomography (CT) in determining perforation findings and site in patients with gastrointestinal tract perforation. Preoperative abdominal CT scans of 47 patients who had surgically proven gastrointestinal tract perforation between July 2007 and July 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The presence of free air, leakage of contrast material, wall thickness, wall discontinuity, abscess, free fluid, and phlegmon were investigated for each patient. The site of perforation was estimated in light of these findings and compared with the surgical outcomes. Perforation sites were determined correctly in 85.7% of patients with gastroduodenal perforation, 85.7% of patients with small bowel perforation, 69.2% of patients with large bowel perforation, 100% of patients with rectum perforation, 90.9% of patients with appendix perforation, and 82.9% of all patients according to the abdominal CT findings. The most common CT finding in gastrointestinal tract perforation was free fluid, with a rate of 89.4%. The rates of other findings were as follows: free air 76.6%, segmental wall thickening 48.9%, wall discontinuity 25.5%, abscess 12.8%, and phlegmon 10.6%. Of 30 patients who received oral contrast, 7 (23.3%) had extraluminal contrast leakage. CT is very effective in determining gastrointestinal tract perforation findings and the site of perforation.

Role of abdominal CT, when available in patients' records, in the evaluation of degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joints.

To determine the role of abdominal computed tomography (CT) that had been performed for other reasons, in the evaluation of degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joints, the authors performed a retrospective review of the sacroiliac joints of 100 patients, all of whom had an abdominal CT scan and a plain abdominal and/or pelvic roentgenogram in their files. The results indicate that, when available in the patient's record, abdominal CT scans provide substantial additional information in the evaluation of degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joints at no extra cost. The authors' results also suggest that after the age of 55, the patient's age does not seem to influence the extent of sacroiliac joint narrowing, which does appear to be affected by the presence of coexisting diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.