[Abdominal wall abscess as the presenting sign in carcinoma of the colon: report of 4 cases].
OBJECTIVE
We report four cases of unusual presentation of colonic cancer revealed by an abscess of the abdominal wall.


METHODS
Our study included 3 men and 1 women ranging in age from 33 to 66 years presenting with abdominal wall abscess (in the left anterior abdominal wall in 2 patients and in the quadratus lumborum muscle in the other 2 patients). Our cases were listed from the departments of radiology and abdominal surgery of Sahloul hospital from 1995 through 2000. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) were performed in all cases; barium enema in three.


RESULTS
US and CT revealed segmental colonic wall thickening (left colon in three patients and right colon in one patient). The diagnosis of colonic cancer was reached by colonoscopy with biopsy in all 4 cases. All of our patients underwent surgical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
In this era of newer diagnostic imaging modalities, US and CT must frequently be used in the evaluation of patients with abdominal wall abscess, to depict intra-abdominal infection and especially malignant lesion causing abdominal wall abscess.
Souei Mhiri
M
M
Service de Radiologie, Hôpital Sahloul, 4054 Sousse, Tunisie. Massarra.Souei@famso.rnu.tn
Rouatbi
I
I
Tlili Graies
K
K
Arifa Achour
N
N
Rzigua
Th
T
Tahar
Y
Y
Bel Haj Hamida
R
R
D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D001706:Biopsy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004733:Enema; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate