Stercoral colitis: diagnostic value of CT findings

Abstract

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the CT findings of stercoral colitis (SC). METHOD: Forty-one patients diagnosed with SC between February 2006 and April 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Rectosigmoid colon was the most frequently involved segment (100%, n= 41). CT findings can be summarized as follows: dilatation >6 cm and wall thickening > 3 mm of the affected colon segment (100%, n= 41), pericolonic fat stranding (100%, n= 41), mucosal discontinuity (14.6 %, n= 6), presence of free air (14.6%, n= 6), free fluid (9.7%, n= 4), and pericolonic abscess (2.4%, n= 1). The sign most related with mortality was the length of the affected colon segment > 40 cm. CONCLUSION CT has an important role in SC, since life-threatening complications can be easily revealed by this imaging modality. Increased length of involved colon segment (> 40 cm) is more likely to be associated with mortality.