Stepladder sign (small bowel obstruction)
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Di Muzio B, Knipe H, Glick Y, et al. Stepladder sign (small bowel obstruction). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 22 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-48704
rID:
48704
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Bruno Di Muzio had no recorded disclosures.
View Bruno Di Muzio's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Frank Gaillard had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
7 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Step-ladder sign (small bowel obstruction)
Stepladder sign represents the appearance of distended small bowel loops with gas-fluid levels that appear to be stacked on top of each other, typically observed on erect abdominal radiographs in the setting of small bowel obstruction.
References
- 1. Nevitt P. The String of Pearls Sign. Radiology. 2000;214(1):157-158. doi:10.1148/radiology.214.1.r00ja11157
Incoming Links
Cases:
- Small bowel obstruction due to an infra-umbilical incarcerated hernia
- Small bowel obstruction
- Mechanical small bowel obstruction caused by a foreign body (vitamin supplements)
- Gallstone ileus
- Small bowel obstruction
- Obstructed femoral hernia
- Gallstone ileus
- Ascites and incomplete small bowel obstruction
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