CT of ascites: differential diagnosis.
Forty-three patients with ascites were evaluated with computed tomography (CT). Neoplasm accounted for 72% of the cases; the remainder included inflammatory processes (10%), cirrhosis (8%), trauma (2%), renal transplant (2%), congestive heart failure (2%), and unknown (4%). An accuracy of 93% was achieved in correctly predicting the presence of ascites alone or together with a mass. The potential for diagnostic error when mass lesions coexist with ascites is discussed and parameters are described to help avoid such errors. These include: (1) knowledge of the normal anatomy of the fluid-filled intraperitoneal space and fluid flow patterns; (2) inspection of the intra-/extraperitoneal interface; and (3) evaluation of the bowel-mesentery pattern.
D001201:Ascites / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications