Intramural bowel gas
Updates to Article Attributes
Intramural gas, also known as pneumatosis intestinalis, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.
Radiographic appearanceTerminology
Gas tracksThere are different terminologies in the medical literature, such as pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumatosis coli, and pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, that seem to describe the same radiological finding with some peculiarities. Pneumatosis coli is used when only the colic wall is involved, and generally for an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is descriptive for multiple gaseous cysts along the bowel wall, either located submucosally or subserosally appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) 1
Pathology
Although in some instances may be an incidental finding, it is often seen in the setting ofintestinal ischaemia and infarction.
Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic ofnecrotising enterocolitis..
Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including:
- mucosal integrity
- intraluminal pressure
- bacterial flora
- intraluminal gas
Radiographic appearance
Gas tracks along the wall, either located submucosally or subserosally appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) 1.
Practical points
From a clinical perspective, it is essential not to confuse the incidental imaging finding of asymptomatic pneumatosis with symptomatic colonic perforation because the treatment is significantly different 2. The asymptomatic form is being seen more frequently as CT-colonography has become a more commonly applied technique.
See also
-<p><strong>Intramural gas</strong>, also known as <strong>pneumatosis intestinalis</strong>, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.</p><h4>Radiographic appearance</h4><p>Gas tracks along the wall, either located submucosally or subserosally appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Although in some instances may be an incidental finding, it is often seen in the setting of <a href="/articles/intestinal-ischaemia">intestinal ischaemia</a> and infarction. </p><p>Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic of <a href="/articles/necrotising-enterocolitis-1">necrotising enterocolitis</a>..</p><p>Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including:</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Intramural gas</strong>, also known as <strong>pneumatosis intestinalis</strong>, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>There are different terminologies in the medical literature, such as pneumatosis intestinalis, <a title="Pneumatosis coli" href="/articles/pneumatosis-coli">pneumatosis coli</a>, and pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, that seem to describe the same radiological finding with some peculiarities. Pneumatosis coli is used when only the colic wall is involved, and generally for an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is descriptive for multiple gaseous cysts along the bowel wall. </p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Although in some instances may be an incidental finding, it is often seen in the setting of <a href="/articles/intestinal-ischaemia">intestinal ischaemia</a> and infarction. </p><p>Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic of <a href="/articles/necrotising-enterocolitis-1">necrotising enterocolitis</a>.</p><p>Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including:</p><ul>
-</ul><h4>Practical points</h4><p>From a clinical perspective it is essential not to confuse the incidental imaging finding of asymptomatic pneumatosis with symptomatic colonic perforation because the treatment is significantly different <sup>2</sup>. The asymptomatic form is being seen more frequently as CT-colonography has become a more commonly applied technique.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul>-<li><a href="/articles/pneumatosis-intestinalis-mnemonic">a helpful mnemonic<strong> </strong>for remembering the causes of pneumatosis intestinalis</a></li>- +</ul><h4>Radiographic appearance</h4><p>Gas tracks along the wall, either located submucosally or subserosally appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Practical points</h4><p>From a clinical perspective, it is essential not to confuse the incidental imaging finding of asymptomatic pneumatosis with symptomatic colonic perforation because the treatment is significantly different <sup>2</sup>. The asymptomatic form is being seen more frequently as <a href="/articles/computed-tomographic-ct-colonography">CT-colonography</a> has become a more commonly applied technique.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul>
- +<li><a href="/articles/pneumatosis-intestinalis-mnemonic">a helpful mnemonic<strong> </strong>for remembering the causes of pneumatosis intestinalis</a></li>
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