iothalamate-meglumine and Abscess

Demonstration of an air-fluid level in the body wall on a computed tomography examination usually suggests the presence of an abscess or a postoperative fluid collection. However, the small amount of air that frequently is injected during intravenous contrast administration may result in a similar computed tomography appearance.

Topics: Abscess; Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Axillary Vein; Breast Neoplasms; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Iothalamate Meglumine; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Mastectomy, Modified Radical; Postoperative Complications; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of the CT findings in 29 consecutive patients being studied to detect complications of aortofemoral bypass surgery. Presenting symptoms included fever in 22 (76%), gastrointestinal bleeding in 2 (7%), a pulsating mass in 3 (10%), jaundice in 1 (3%), and back pain in 1 (3%). The complications observed most frequently were groin infection in 7 (24%), abdominal perigraft abscess in 11 (38%), pseudoaneurysm in 6 (21%), aortoenteric fistula in 3 (10%), and lymphocystic hematoma in 3 (10%). There were no false negatives, and the overall accuracy and sensitivity of CT in detecting complications was 100%. The authors recommend that CT be performed prior to angiography or surgery whenever an abscess, pseudoaneurysm, or aorto-enteric fistula is suspected.

Topics: Abscess; Aorta, Abdominal; Aortic Aneurysm; Blood Vessel Prosthesis; Femoral Artery; Fever; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Humans; Iothalamate Meglumine; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Wound Infection; Tomography, X-Ray Computed