Presentation
Chronic constipation. Incidental finding.
Patient Data
Innumerable intramural air bubbles are seen in the wall of the small bowel loops, along with the intraperitoneal free air.
Diastasis recti is present up to 8 cm.
The prostate gland is enlarged.
Case Discussion
Features on CT images are consistent with pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, a subtype of pneumatosis characterized by multiple air bubbles in the submucosa and/or subserosa of the small intestine wall.
It is essential not to confuse the incidental imaging finding of asymptomatic pneumatosis with symptomatic bowel perforation because the treatment is significantly different.