[Intestinal pneumatosis. Right colon cystic form with linear aspect on scan].
BACKGROUND
Digestive pneumatosis corresponds to the presence of air in a wall of digestive tract. It is common to oppose primary cystic-type pneumatosis, involving the left colon, with linear-type pneumatosis that may affect the whole of the digestive tract.


METHODS
In a 41 year-old man presenting with Sharp's syndrome, abdominal pain occurred revealing an isolated right colon pneumatosis. Although abdominal tomodensitometry showed a strictly linear pneumatosis, colposcopy revealed voluminous cysts.


CONCLUSIONS
With this case report, the limits of tomodensitometry in distinguishing linear from cystic forms are apparent. The importance of avoiding surgery is underlined. Our patient presented with a pneumo-peritonitis only requiring medical treatment since this disease generally regresses spontaneously.
Pavic
M
M
Service de médecine interne, Hôpital Desgenettes, Lyon. mpavic@club-internet.fr
Debourdeau
Ph
P
Ehre
P
P
Billaud
Y
Y
Zammit
C
C
Rabar
D
D
Crevon
L
L
D000328:Adult; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / Q000150:complications; D011006:Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed