Sigmoid volvulus occurs when the sigmoid colic loop gets wrapped around its own mesocolon. While this condition is categorized as an extremely rare emergency in the pediatric population, diagnosis is often difficult due to the fact that its aspecific manifestations or sneaky symptoms are similar to other medical conditions. The available treatment options remain controversial up to this day, and the non-operative approach is more preferred in treating hemodynamic stable patients.
This paper examines the case study of a 13-year-old girl suffering from sigmoid volvulus, who was treated with water-soluble contrast enema, in order to determine whether this method is efficient and effective in successfully treating the pathology of this condition.
Radiological assessments of the small and large bowel are essential in daily clinical practice.
Over plain film X-ray and ultrasound, cross-sectional techniques are considered the most comprehensive imaging modalities. In fact, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging take great advantage of the three-dimensional appraisal and the extensive evaluation of the abdominal cavity, allowing intestinal evaluation as well as detection of extra-intestinal findings.
In this context, the chief advantage of computed tomography is the fast scan time, which is crucial for emergency cases. Nonetheless, it is undeniably impaired using ionizing radiation.
As the awareness of radiation exposure is a topic of increasing importance, magnetic resonance imaging is not only becoming a mere alternative but also a primary imaging technique used in assessing intestinal diseases.
Specifically, the evaluation of the large bowel through MRI can be still considered relatively uncharted territory. Although it has demonstrated superior accuracy in the assessment of some clinical entities from inflammatory bowel disease to rectal carcinoma, its role needs to be consolidated in many other conditions.
Moreover, different technical methods can be applied for colonic evaluation depending on the specific disease and segment involved.
This article aims to provide a thorough overview of the techniques that can be utilized in the evaluation of the large bowel and a discussion on the major findings in different colonic pathologies of primary interest.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.