What does a nonspecific bowel gas pattern mean?

Radiologists use the term nonspecific gas pattern to denote a gas pattern that is not quite normal but that does not fulfill the criteria of a more specific diagnosis such as small bowel obstruction.

What does gas-filled bowel loops mean?

Dilated, gas-filled bowel loops, with or without air-fluid levels, can signify obstruction or ileus. Air-fluid levels in a “stepladder” configuration along the length of small bowel suggest obstruction, whereas levels that appear in a parallel configuration suggest ileus.

Are gas-filled bowel loops normal?

In most healthy adults, the small bowel contains little gas, and only 1 or 2 nondistended gas-filled loops may be seen in the small bowel; however, in the supine position, the duodenum cannot maintain an efficient water trap, and air may pass into the jejunum from the stomach.

What is a non dilated bowel?

The small bowel was graded as non-dilated (<2.5 cm) and mildly (2.5-2.9 cm), moderately (3-4 cm) or severely (>4 cm) dilated.

What causes gas in intestine?

Excess upper intestinal gas can result from swallowing more than a usual amount of air, overeating, smoking or chewing gum. Excess lower intestinal gas can be caused by eating too much of certain foods, by the inability to fully digest certain foods or by a disruption in the bacteria normally found in the colon.

What does no free air in abdomen mean?

The most common cause is a perforation of the abdominal viscus—most commonly, a perforated ulcer, although a pneumoperitoneum may occur as a result of perforation of any part of the bowel; other causes include a benign ulcer, a tumor, or trauma.

What causes air fluid levels in bowel obstruction?

X-rays of the abdomen are important in diagnosing the presence of small bowel obstruction. When obstruction occurs, both fluid and gas collect in the intestine. They produce a characteristic pattern called “air-fluid levels”. The air rises above the fluid and there is a flat surface at the “air-fluid” interface.

What does no small bowel dilatation?

The absence of small-bowel gas in SBO is due to fluid rather than gas filling the dilated small bowel. The absence of small-bowel gas in the setting of SBO usually indicates high-grade SBO or a SBO complicated by a closed-loop obstruction.

Would a bowel obstruction show up on CT scan?

However, some intestinal obstructions can’t be seen using standard X-rays. Computerized tomography (CT). A CT scan combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles to produce cross-sectional images. These images are more detailed than a standard X-ray, and are more likely to show an intestinal obstruction.

What does nonspecific bowel gas pattern mean?

For example, ” nonspecific bowel gas pattern ” is understood by different radiologists to mean normal, equivocal, or abnormal due to ileus or obstruction [3]. Such terms should be replaced by explicit phraseology—for example , ” mildly dilated small bowel loops may be due to ileus or obstruction.

What is a normal bowel gas pattern?

The upper limit of normal diameter of the bowel is generally accepted as 3cm for the small bowel, 6cm for the colon and 9cm for the caecum (3/6/9 rule). Normal bowel sections are sometimes identified by the following features. Stomach. The stomach may be visible if it contains gas/air.

What causes gassy bowels?

Gas in the small intestine or colon is typically caused by the digestion or fermentation of undigested food by bacteria found in the bowel. Gas can also form when your digestive system doesn’t completely break down certain components in foods, such as gluten, found in most grains, or the sugar in dairy products and fruit.