Abnormal computed tomography findings among children with viral gastroenteritis and symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate computed tomography (CT) findings in pediatric patients with viral gastroenteritis who presented with clinical features of acute abdomen.


METHODS
During 2 seasons of viral gastroenteritis from 2005 to 2007, 302 children with acute gastrointestinal symptoms were admitted to our center for treatment of dehydration and associated complications. Stool specimens obtained from 130 of the 302 were tested for norovirus with the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method.


RESULTS
Among the 130 patients, 44 tested positive for norovirus, 34 for rotavirus, and 1 for adenovirus. In the remaining 51, except one with Campylobacter jejuni, no viral or bacterial pathogen was detectable. An abdominal CT scan was performed in 4 patients with norovirus and in 1 with rotavirus for suspected acute abdomen including acute appendicitis. Computed tomography (CT) findings were similar among the 5 patients, including thickening of the bowel wall and fluid-filled bowel loops in the small intestine with no pathological findings in the stomach, appendix, or colon.


CONCLUSIONS
Anatomical changes in the small intestine were shown by CT in 5 children with viral gastroenteritis who presented with acute abdomen. These imaging features of viral gastroenteritis may be useful in differential diagnosis of acute abdomen to avoid unnecessary surgery.
Tajiri
Hitoshi
H
Department of Pediatrics, Osaka General Medical Center, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8558 Japan. tajiriji@gh.pref.osaka.jp
Kiyohara
Yuki
Y
Tanaka
Tomoyuki
T
Etani
Yuri
Y
Mushiake
Sotaro
S
D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029322:Norovirus; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed