The utility of computed tomography in acute small bowel obstruction

Small bowel obstruction is a significant cause of acute surgical admissions . Surgeons are tending to favour an initial trial of conservative managemen t. Due to the unreliability of clinical signs to predict accurately those p atients requiring early intervention there is an increasing tendency to uti lize imaging investigations, particularly computed tomography (CT), to help define the severity, cause and complications of acute small bowel obstruct ion. The aim of this pictorial review is to demonstrate the contribution CT can make to the management of these patients. (C) 2001 The Royal College o f Radiologists.