Intramural bowel gas
Updates to Article Attributes
Intramural bowel gas, also known as pneumatosis intestinalis, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.
Terminology
There are different terminologies in the medical literature, such as pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumatosis coli, and pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. Pneumatosis coli is used when only the colic wall is involved, and is generally an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is descriptive for multiple gaseous cysts along the bowel wall.
Pathology
Intramural gas can be seen in intestinal ischaemia and eventually bowel infarction. This is the most concerning etiologyaetiology for intramural gas.
Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic of necrotising enterocolitis.
Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including
- mucosal integrity
- intraluminal pressure
- bacterial flora
- intraluminal gas
Radiographic appearancefeatures
Gas tracks along the bowel wall, appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) 1.
Differential diagnosis
- bowel ischaemia and infarction
- medication-induced
- autoimmune disease
- post-endoscopy/operative
Practical points
From a clinical perspective, it is essential not to confuse the incidental imaging finding of asymptomatic pneumatosis with symptomatic colonic perforation because the treatment is significantly different 2.
See also
-<p><strong>Intramural bowel gas</strong>, also known as <strong>pneumatosis intestinalis</strong>, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>There are different terminologies in the medical literature, such as pneumatosis intestinalis, <a href="/articles/pneumatosis-coli">pneumatosis coli</a>, and <a href="/articles/pneumatosis-coli">pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis</a>. Pneumatosis coli is used when only the colic wall is involved, and is generally an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is descriptive for multiple gaseous cysts along the bowel wall.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Intramural gas can be seen in <a href="/articles/intestinal-ischaemia">intestinal ischaemia</a> and eventually bowel infarction. This is the most concerning etiology for intramural gas.</p><p>Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic of <a href="/articles/necrotising-enterocolitis-1">necrotising enterocolitis</a>.</p><p>Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Intramural bowel gas</strong>, also known as <strong>pneumatosis intestinalis</strong>, refers to gas within the wall of the bowel.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>There are different terminologies in the medical literature, such as pneumatosis intestinalis, <a href="/articles/pneumatosis-coli">pneumatosis coli</a>, and <a href="/articles/pneumatosis-coli">pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis</a>. Pneumatosis coli is used when only the colic wall is involved and is generally an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is descriptive for multiple gaseous cysts along the bowel wall.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>Intramural gas can be seen in <a href="/articles/intestinal-ischaemia">intestinal ischaemia</a> and eventually bowel infarction. This is the most concerning aetiology for intramural gas.</p><p>Gas in the bowel wall in the neonatal period, whatever its shape, is diagnostic of <a href="/articles/necrotising-enterocolitis-1">necrotising enterocolitis</a>.</p><p>Asymptomatic pneumatosis intestinalis may result from a variety of interrelated contributing factors including</p><ul>
-</ul><h4>Radiographic appearance</h4><p>Gas tracks along the bowel wall, appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><ul>- +</ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>Gas tracks along the bowel wall, appearing as either linear (usually submucosal) or rounded cystic collections (usually subserosal) <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><ul>