The Roentgenographic Spectrum of Bowel Infarction

The incidence of several relatively specific and nonspecific roentgen findings has been determined in 67 proved, unselected cases of intestinal infarction. Differences related to vascular etiology and correlation of changes with pathologic site and extent of infarction are emphasized. Findings warranting a retrospective presumptive diagnosis occurred in 19% (embolism 46%, venous thrombosis 30%, arterial thrombosis 11%, and nonocclusive infarction 8%). A pattern resembling small-bowel obstruction was frequent (36%). The nonspecific splenic flexure pattern occurred in 18%. That pattern and combined small-bowel transverse-colon dilatation usually indicated extensive small-bowel plus colonic infarction but were common only in embolism.