Nonocclusive ischemic colitis in a 12-year-old girl: value of unenhanced spiral computed tomography

A 12-year-old girl was hit by a car and arrived in the emergency room in he morrhagic shock. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen showe d trauma tic rupture of the liver and large amounts of intraperitoneal hemo rrhage. Unenhanced computed tomography showed a hyperdense thickening of th e wall of the descending colon. This finding was consistent with a nonocclu sive ischemic colitis, which was confirmed some days later by endoscopy, at a time when the patient had already developed Cram-negative bacteremia. We discuss the pathogenesis of nonocclusive ischemic colitis, computed tomogr aphy findings, and the value of unenhanced computed tomography.