Acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia: MDCT findings

Abstract

Mesenteric ischemia is caused by a reduction in mesenteric blood flow. It can be divided into acute and chronic, based upon the rapidity and the degree to which the blood flow is compromised. The authors retrospectively reviewed 22 cases of mesenteric ischemia, diagnosed by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in our service, and confirmed by surgery or clinical follow-up. The frequency of the diagnostic findings of chronic and acute mesenteric ischemia was evaluated. The improvement of three-dimensional (3D) MDCT allows accurate assessment of mesenteric vessels. Therefore, it demonstrates changes in ischemic bowel segments helpful in determining the primary cause of the disease, and can identify the complications in patients with acute and chronic mesenteric ischemia.