title: Primary epiploic appendagitis: reconciling CT and clinical challenges.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to explain the spectrum of clinical and CT findings in 18 patients with acute epiploic appendagitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the clinical records and CT pictures of 18 consecutive patients seen in Nejran Armed Forces Hospital, Nejran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Sohag University Hospital, Sohag, Egypt between July 2006 and June 2013 with a diagnosis of primary epiploic appendagitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age ranged between 22 and 64 years old with a mean of 44.3. Males were affected in 72 % of cases. Eleven patients had acute pain in left lower quadrant. Nausea and vomiting were encountered in four patients. No fever was recorded in all cases. Leukocytosis was found in four patients and C-reactive protein (CRP) was high in five. CT scan diagnosed primary epiploic appendagitis (PEA) in 15 patients, while 3 patients were diagnosed intraoperatively. The left colon was affected in 11 patients. All patients except one had a central fatty core surrounded by inflammation with size ranging between 1.5 and 3.5 cm in length. Fifteen patients were treated conservatively, and three cases underwent surgical exploration. Ten patients (55.5 %) completed the follow up schedule. Complete resolution was noted in three patients at 2 weeks, in six patients at 3 months, and only one patient had residual changes at 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEA is a challenging clinical diagnosis, and CT scan is extremely necessary in diagnosing this disease accurately. The awareness of the surgeons concerning this rare occasion will avoid unnecessary hospital admission and operative treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nejran Armed Forces Hospital, Alfahd Street, Nejran, 1002, Saudi Arabia, jamalamin2003@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jamel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saad
authors.forename: Hussein Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: Asem Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elsani
authors.forename: Fawaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alharbi
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alghamdi
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult