2023 Volume 37 Issue 2 Pages 100-109
Acute mesenteric ischemia is the pathology with the highest mortality rate among cases of acute abdomen. An early and accurate diagnosis is necessary for saving the patient’s life, and computed tomography (CT) is the mainstay of diagnostic imaging.
The major causes of acute mesenteric ischemia include mesenteric arterial occlusion, nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI), and mesenteric venous thrombosis. Furthermore, mesenteric arterial occlusion is caused by embolism, thrombosis, and dissection. In diagnostic CT, it is necessary not only to identify the causes but also to evaluate the severity of ischemic injury of the bowel, which affects the decision regarding treatment strategies. Here, we explain the differentiation factors for each disease causing bowel ischemia as well as imaging findings corresponding to the severity of ischemic injury of the bowel.
