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Clinical Imaging: Small-Bowel Obstruction: State-of-the-Art Imaging and Its Role in Clinical Management
Clinical Imaging: Small-Bowel Obstruction: State-of-the-Art Imaging and Its Role in Clinical Management
CLINICAL IMAGING
Small-bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common clinical con- In patients with suspected SBO, radiographic imaging plays
dition with signs and symptoms similar to other acute a central role in confirming the diagnosis and based on these
abdominal disorders. The radiologic investigation of pa- findings; in helping to choose the appropriate therapy. Simple
tients with SBO as well as the indications and timing of mechanical SBO can be treated safely using a trial of medical
surgical intervention have changed over the past 2 decades. management that includes nasoenteric decompression, intrave-
This review focuses on modern imaging techniques and nous fluid hydration, and serial abdominal radiography. His-
their role in both the diagnosis and treatment of patients torical data in patients with surgically proven strangulation
with SBO. showed that the preoperative diagnosis based on clinical and
laboratory data, abdominal plain films, and monoslice comput-
erized tomography (CT) scanning is reliable in only 15% to 50%