CT of blunt trauma bowel and mesenteric injury: Typical findings and pitfalls in diagnosis

Detection of bowel and mesenteric injury can be challenging in patients after blunt abdominal trauma. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to decrease patient morbidity and mortality. Computed tomography (CT) has become the primary modality for the imaging of these patients. Signs of bowel perforation such as free air and contrast material are virtually pathognomonic. Bowel-wall thickening, free fluid, and mesenteric infiltration may be seen with this type of injury and partial thickness injuries. The authors present and discuss the range of CT findings seen with bowel and mesenteric injuries. Examples of observation and interpretation errors are also provided to highlight pitfalls encountered in the evaluation of abdominopelvic CT scans in patients after blunt trauma.