Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Necrotising enterocolitis abdominal x ray
Introduction
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Overview
Overview
The diagnosis is usually suspected clinically but often requires the aid of diagnostic imaging modalities. Plain radiographs of the abdomen are useful by showing evidence of extraluminal gas (pneumatosis, portal venous gas or pneumoperitoneum) or an abnormal bowel gas pattern, particularly a persistently unaltered gas-filled dilated loop of bowel on serial radiographs (fixed loop). Monitoring is clinical, although serial supine and left lateral decubitus abdominal roentgenograms should be performed every 6 hours. Signs of radiographic worsening of NEC include dilated bowel loops, pneumatosis intestinalis, portal venous gas, and pneumoperitoneum.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]