Role of Radiology in Evaluation of Traumatic Bowel Injuries
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Traumatic bowel injuries (TBI) are rare but potentially life-threatening conditions requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment. This study evaluates the role of computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing and managing TBI. A prospective study was conducted on 60 patients with suspected TBI wh Methods: o underwent CT evaluation. CT ndings were analyzed for specic signs including mesenteric inltration, bowel wall thickening, bowel discontinuity, pneumoperitoneum, bowel hypoenhancement, active extravasation, and free uid. These were correlated with surgical ndings where applicable. Sensitivity, specicity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy were calculated. Mesenteric inltration (75.0%) and free peritoneal uid (83.3% Results: ) were the most common CT ndings in patients with TBI. Bowel wall discontinuity demonstrated the highest specicity (100%) and PPV (100%), followed by pneumoperitoneum (specicity 92.3%, PPV 93.8%). Active extravasation showed high specicity (98.1%) but lower sensitivity (36.3%). The overall diagnostic accuracy of CT for detecting surgically signicant TBI was 91.7%. Among the 60 patients, 26 (43.3%) required surgical intervention, with bowel perforation being the most common nding. CT Conclusions: remains the gold standard for evaluating TBI, with high sensitivity and specicity for specic ndings that guide surgical intervention. Multi-detector CT has signicantly improved diagnostic accuracy, particularly for bowel wall discontinuity and pneumoperitoneum. Challenges include the reliable detection of minor injuries and interobserver variability. Further advancements in dual-energy CT and development of standardized scoring systems may enhance diagnostic performance in the future.
Authors: Bhavesh Patil, Ashutosh Patel, Kunal Wakhariya, Shaheen Jain
Institution: Suamandeep Vidyapeeth University
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409181642