Intussusception in Adults: The Role of MDCT in the Identification of the Site and Cause of Obstruction

Unlike pediatric intussusception, intestinal intussusception is infrequent in adults and it is often secondary to a pathological condition. The growing use of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) in abdominal imaging has increased the number of radiological diagnoses of intussusception, even in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Viola Valentini, Grazia Loretta Buquicchio, Michele Galluzzo, Stefania Ianniello, Graziella Di Grezia, Rosa Ambrosio, Margherita Trinci, Vittorio Miele
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2016-01-01
Series:Gastroenterology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/5623718
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Summary:Unlike pediatric intussusception, intestinal intussusception is infrequent in adults and it is often secondary to a pathological condition. The growing use of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) in abdominal imaging has increased the number of radiological diagnoses of intussusception, even in transient and nonobstructing cases. MDCT is well suited to delineate the presence of the disease and provides valuable information about several features, such as the site of intussusception, the intestinal segments involved, and the extent of the intussuscepted bowel. Moreover, MDCT can demonstrate the complications of intussusceptions, represented by bowel wall ischemia and perforation, which are mandatory to promptly refer for surgery. However, not all intussusceptions need an operative treatment. In this paper, we review the current role of MDCT in the diagnosis and management of intussusception in adults, focusing on features, as the presence of a leading point, that may guide an accurate selection of patients for surgery.
ISSN:1687-6121
1687-630X