HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hoeffel, C. Articles by Tubiana, J.-M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hoeffel, C. Articles by Tubiana, J.-M. Related Collections Computed Tomography Gastrointestinal Radiology

Multi–Detector Row CT: Spectrum of Diseases Involving the Ileocecal Area¹

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, 184 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75571 Paris Cedex 12, France (C.H., M.D.C., A.B., L. Azizi, M.L., L. Arrivé, J.M.T.); and the Department of Medicine, Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France (C.H.). Presented as an education exhibit at the 2003 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received October 26, 2004; revision requested January 5, 2005; final revision received July 1; accepted July 26. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to C.H. (e-mail: christine.hoeffel{at}sat.ap-hop-paris.fr).

The ileocecal area is a relatively short segment of the gastrointestinal tract but may be affected by pathologic conditions that are either common throughout the gastrointestinal system or exclusive to this area. These conditions include benign and malignant tumors, inflammatory processes (appendicitis, diverticulitis, epiploic appendagitis, Crohn disease), infectious diseases, and miscellaneous conditions (cecal ischemia, typhlitis, cecal volvulus, duplication cyst). The various components of the ileocecal area (cecum, appendix, ileocecal valve, terminal ileum) are close to one another, so that these conditions may involve more than one anatomic structure, thereby creating a diagnostic dilemma. The evaluation of various parameters (eg, stratified enhancement pattern of the thickened bowel wall, degree of thickening, extent and location of bowel wall involvement, degree of fat stranding relative to the degree of wall thickening) and associated findings (lymph nodes, mesenteric stranding, abscess and sinus tracts, fatty proliferation, solid organ abnormalities) will help narrow the differential diagnosis. Multi–detector row computed tomography (CT) is considered the best imaging examination for the evaluation of the ileocecal area. Consequently, the radiologist should be familiar with the multi–detector row CT features of the spectrum of diseases affecting this area to help ensure correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

© RSNA, 2006

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. C. Kim, D. M. Yang, W. Jin, and S. J. Park Added Diagnostic Value of Multiplanar Reformation of Multidetector CT Data in Patients with Suspected Appendicitis RadioGraphics, March 1, 2008; 28(2): 393 - 405. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]