Renal stones on portal venous phase contrast-enhanced CT: does intravenous contrast interfere with detection?

Purpose: To determine the sensitivity of portal venous phase contrast-enhanced CT for the detection of renal stones.

Methods: This retrospective study included 97 CT examinations of the abdomen without and with intravenous contrast, including 85 (87.6%) examinations with at least one renal stone on the "gold standard" noncontrast images, as scored by a single radiologist.

Perforation of the mesenteric small bowel: etiologies and CT findings.

The purpose of this article is to illustrate and discuss the various etiologies of perforation of the mesenteric small bowel and associated findings on abdominal CT. Perforation of the mesenteric small bowel is an uncommon cause of an acute abdomen and can be due to various etiologies. In underdeveloped countries, infection is probably the most common cause, while in industrialized nations, perforation may be due to Crohn disease, diverticulitis, foreign body, trauma, tumor, mechanical obstruction, primary ischemic event, or iatrogenic causes.