Intestinal infarction secondary to mesenteric venous thrombosis: CT-pathologic correlation.
We reviewed CT of four patients with surgically proved bowel infarction secondary to superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis. Pathologic correlation was available in all patients. Three patients had thrombus in both portal vein and proximal SMV and the remaining patient had thrombus that was seen only in the peripheral branches of the SMV. Contrast-enhanced CT showed a segmental distribution of marked concentric bowel wall thickening in all four patients. Two patients also showed zones of different attenuation in the bowel wall, which were caused by varying degrees of edema and hemorrhage in the submucosa. Dense peripheral enhancement of the bowel wall was present in one patient. Other CT findings included ascites and mesenteric changes such as edema and vascular engorgement. The combination of thrombus in the SMV with bowel wall thickening strongly suggests bowel infarction and, therefore, warrants initiation of appropriate therapy.
Department of Radiology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
J Y
JY
Kim
H K
HK
Ha
J Y
JY
Byun
J M
JM
Lee
B K
BK
Yong
I C
IC
Kim
J Y
JY
Lee
W S
WS
Park
K S
KS
Shinn
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging