Pneumatosis intestinalis in bone-marrow transplantation patients: diagnosis on routine chest radiographs. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1989 May;152(5):991-4
Date
05/01/1989Pubmed ID
2650496DOI
10.2214/ajr.152.5.991Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0024563836 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 23 CitationsAbstract
We report seven cases of pneumatosis intestinalis that was initially detected on routine chest radiographs made in adult bone-marrow transplantation patients. The cases were collected over a 13-month period. The chest radiographs generally underestimated the extent of the pneumatosis, as subsequently seen on plain abdominal films. However, the portions of bowel most extensively involved were those seen on the chest radiographs (transverse colon, hepatic and splenic flexures, stomach). One patient had pneumoperitoneum also. Pneumatosis developed within 6-293 days after transplantation. The cause of pneumatosis intestinalis was multifactorial. Three patients were asymptomatic. Clinical management of all seven patients was altered because of the detection of pneumatosis. The dose of steroids was increased in three patients to treat graft-vs-host disease, antibiotic drugs were given to three patients for enteric pathogens, and bowel rest was prescribed for one patient with mucosal injury from intense chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These cases show that the chest radiograph makes early diagnosis of pneumatosis intestinalis possible in posttransplantation patients.
Author List
Bates FT, Gurney JW, Goodman LR, Santamaria JJ, Hansen RM, Ash RCAuthor
Lawrence Goodman MD Emeritus Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultBone Marrow Transplantation
Diagnostic Tests, Routine
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis
Radiography, Thoracic
Time Factors
