PRIMARY EPIPLOIC APPENDAGITIS - CLINICAL, US, AND CT FINDINGS IN 14 CASES

PURPOSE: To describe the appearance at ultrasonography (US) of primary epiploic appendagitis in correlation with computed tomographic (CT) f indings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1992 through June 1993, c linical, US, and CT findings were reviewed in 14 patients with primary epiploic appendagitis (seven men and seven women, aged 25-51 years [m ean, 39 years 3 months]). Follow-up examinations were performed with U S alone (n = 4), with US and CT (n = 3), and with clinical examination (n = 14). Surgery was performed in two patients. The main symptoms we re right (n = 3) or left (n = 11) flank pain. RESULTS: US revealed an echogenic mass that was small, ovoid, and noncompressible, located ant erolateral to the right colon (n = 3), anterior or anterolateral to th e left colon (n = 10), and anteromedial to the left colon (n = 1). CT helped confirm the presence of a fatty lesion in each patient without other inflammatory process in the abdomen. Symptoms resolved within 7 days in 12 patients. CONCLUSION: Primary epiploic appendagitis has fai rly characteristic US and CT features that enable a rapid diagnosis.