Paracolic Gutter Ct Scan

Paracolic gutters help keep infectious material away from the body s internal organs.

Paracolic gutter ct scan.

The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side. Fluid on ct is relatively hypodense dark on ct. The right lateral paracolic gutter. Both paracolic gutters run laterally along the back side of the abdominal wall and are situated between the abdominal wall and the outer margin of the colon.

The left medial paracolic gutter. Fluid may sit within the peritoneal space or paracolic gutters or may be interposed between bowel loops or around solid organs e g. Ct scan is the usual initial imaging modality used because it is the imaging of choice for evaluating patients with generalized abdominal disorders and often those with peritoneal carcinomatosis. On computed tomography without intravenous contrast material splenosis implants are as dense as the hepatic parenchyma and well circumscribed while their enhancement pattern mimics that of healthy spleen parenchyma and they are heterogeneous in the arterial phase becoming homogeneous during the portal phase.

The right paracolic gutter is larger than the left and communicates freely with the right subphrenic space. Ct scan obtained through lower abdomen shows multilocular cystic mass asterisk. The right lateral gutter is much larger and allows for greater drainage than the left gutter. View larger version 123k fig.

A less obvious medial paracolic gutter may be formed especially on the right side if the colon possesses a short mesentery for part of its length. Ascites is present in right paracolic gutter. Abstract computed tomography ct plays an important role in diagnosis of acute intestinal obstruction and planning of surgical treatment. The right lateral paracolic gutter runs along the right side of the cavity of the abdomen.

Although internal hernias are uncommon they may be included in the differential diagnosis in cases of intestinal obstruction especially in the absence of a history of abdominal surgery or trauma. There is not usually an associated effusion of ascitic fluid. The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon. Dense fluid may suggest hemoperitoneum especially in the context of trauma.

10 year old girl with 3 day history of epigastric pain and bilious vomiting caused by small bowel volvulus secondary to mesenteric lymphangioma.