CT imaging of gastric and hepatic complications after ingestion of glacial acetic acid.
OBJECTIVE
To document the computed tomographic (CT) image features of gastric and hepatic complications after ingestion of glacial acetic acid.


METHODS
There were 5 patients (2 men and 3 women; age range, 2-84 years) who had ingested glacial acetic acid to commit suicide or accidentally. Their abdominal and chest CT scans were retrospectively reviewed to detect and evaluate visceral organ injury. Clinical and laboratory data were also reviewed.


RESULTS
Diffuse edematous wall thickening of esophagus and stomach was observed in all patients. Three patients showed nonenhancing, wedge-shaped low densities in the liver on portal venous phase abdominal CT scans. These 3 patients also showed laboratory findings to indicate hepatic failure, hemolysis, metabolic acidosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Two of these patients died despite vigorous supportive treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Wedge-shaped low densities can be seen in the liver on CT scans after ingestion of glacial acetic acid. They may represent hepatic necrosis caused by the direct effect of toxic materials absorbed into portal circulation.
Kim
Seog Joon
SJ
Department of Radiology, Sunlin Hospital, Handong University School of Medicine, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea.
Cho
Sung Bum
SB
Cho
Jae Min
JM
Chung
Myung Jin
MJ
Paik
Sang Hyun
SH
Kim
So Young
SY
Sung
Deuk Jae
DJ
Kim
Yun Hwan
YH
D000059:Accidents; D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000506:poisoning*; D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019342:Acetic Acid