title: Prevalence and MDCT characteristics of asymptomatic Bochdalek hernia in adult population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of asymptomatic incidental Bochdalek hernias in adults, using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), and to ascertain any possible relationship between Bochdalek hernia and age, gender, or body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred and forty-eight abdominal, and 602 chest MDCT scans, which had been performed for a variety of reasons on 1350 adults, were investigated retrospectively. Location and size of Bochdalek hernias seen on these scans were correlated with age, gender, and BMI. On the basis of BMI, patients with Bochdalek hernia were classified as group A (BMI < 25) and group B (BMI > or =25).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 171 Bochdalek hernias were identified in 142 of 1350 patients, ranging in age from 25 to 90 years (median age, 57.2), representing a prevalence of 10.5%. Sixty leftsided unilateral Bochdalek hernias (42.2%), 53 (37.4%) rightsided unilateral Bochdalek hernias, and 29 (20.4%) bilateral Bochdalek hernias were detected. Forty-five (31.6%) were categorized as small, 82 (57.8%) were medium-sized, and 15 (10.5%) were large. BMI was < 25 in 62 patients (43.7%), and > or =25 in 80 patients (56.3%). Fourteen patients (9.9%) were young adults, while 86 (60.6%) were middle aged, and 42 (29.6%) were elderly. No statistically significant relationship was found between dimensions or hernia locations and age, gender, or BMI of patients with Bochdalek hernia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In view of the high prevalence of Bochdalek hernia in our study (10.5%), the multiplanar and reconstruction features of MDCT seem to facilitate the diagnosis of asymptomatic incidental Bochdalek hernia. No relationship was found between asymptomatic incidental Bochdalek hernia and age, gender, or BMI in adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey. osmantemizoz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Temizöz
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gençhellaç
authors.forename: Ensar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yekeler
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Umit
authors.forename: Ercüment
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Unlü
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: M Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Demir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology