Luminal Gas Mimicking Pneumatosis Intestinalis: A Cautionary Tale

WC Torreggiani, ID Lyburn, AC Harris, PL Munk

Hong Kong J Radiol 2002;5:114-6

We report the case of a patient with partial small bowel obstruction who underwent laparotomy for possible bowel ischaemia, after imaging studies suggested pneumatosis intestinalis. At surgery, the patient was shown to have small bowel obstruction due to inspissated feeds. This paper outlines the diagnostic difficulties in this case and illustrates differentiating features of pneumatosis intestinalis on computed tomography imaging as a guide for radiologists.