Can acute mesenteric ischemia be ruled out using computed tomography? Critically appraised topic

The outcome of patients admitted because of acute abdominal problems not requiring immediate laparotomy is improved by routine use of computed tomography (CT) within 24 hours of admission, and many other inpatients with acute abdominal problems undergo CT. In our institution, the request may be to rule out significant pathology in the clinical context of acute abdominal pain. Bowel ischemia can be a difficult diagnosis. It is a potentially fatal condition, and prognosis is worsened by delay in diagnosis. It is well recognized that CT can confirm bowel ischemia. We used evidence-based methods to evaluate whether CT can exclude this diagnosis. (author)