Intravenous Contrast Agent in Abdominal CT: Is It Really Needed to Identify the Cause of Bowel Obstruction? Proof of Concept

Figure 2

Axial CT scan of a 64-year-old man previously operated for internal hernia with resection of some ileal loops. Unenhanced phase (a) showed dilatation of the duodenal, jejunal, and proximal ileal loops with the transition point at the level of the ileo-ileal anastomosis; the etiology of the small bowel obstruction was correctly identified as adhesions. Post contrast image in the venous phase (b) showed normal enhancement of the bowel loops.

(a)

(b)