Sonographic features of mesenteric gas.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the sonographic appearance of air in the mesentery of the small bowel.


METHODS
Sonography was performed with convex and linear array transducers in 2 patients with acute abdomen.


RESULTS
In 1 patient, sonography revealed fluid and air in the peritoneal cavity. A thick-walled small-bowel loop with a thick echogenic mesentery was seen. Air was seen in the mesentery as linear bright echoes with acoustic shadowing. An uncomplicated diverticulum was seen. In the second patient, air was seen in the thick and echogenic mesentery of a thick-walled small bowel. An inflamed diverticulum was also seen.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonographic features of mesenteric air due to perforated diverticulitis of the jejunum are described.
Vijayaraghavan
S Boopathy
SB
Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, India. sonoscan@vsnl.com
Krishnaraj
Balasundaram
B
Sarveswaran
Venugopal
V
D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005740:Gases; D006801:Humans; D007579:Jejunal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D014463:Ultrasonography
D005740:Gases