title: Computed tomographic enteroclysis with air and virtual enteroscopy: protocol and feasibility for small bowel evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe our optimized protocol for computed tomographic enteroclysis using air as the contrast material and report an early assessment of its clinical performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one examinations of computed tomographic enteroclysis with air were performed in 30 patients in our hospital from September 2008 to September 2010. The volume of injected air and intra-intestinal pressure were monitored in 16 cases. The data were reviewed for ratios of successful whole small bowel depictions out of the total number of examinations for patients without stenosis. Efforts were made to confirm depicted abnormal findings when possible by other imaging techniques, intra-operative findings, histopathological findings, and subsequent history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The injected air volume and final intra-intestinal pressure were 2925 ± 686 ml and 24.5 ± 7.1cm H₂O in cases without stenosis. In 19 examinations with anterograde air injection for patients without stenosis, whole small bowel depiction was achieved in 16 (84.2%). Computed tomographic enteroclysis with air was useful for detecting strictures (in Crohn's disease, malignant lymphoma, metastatic carcinoma), Meckel's diverticulum, and for excluding other obstructive conditions in ileus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computed tomographic enteroclysis with air has a potential to enable the exploration of the whole small bowel, thereby providing information of small bowel lesions that complements other techniques.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan. t-yoshi@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Takehara
authors: Masataka
authors: M
authors: Kikuyama
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Takeuchi
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Hanai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000388:Air; D000399:Air Pressure; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media