Diagnosis of bowel diseases: The role of imaging and ultrasonography

Figure 1 Sonographic appearance of normal bowel. A: Mucus pattern: collapsed bowel containing only a highly reflective core of mucus with target appearance on a transverse section; B: Gas pattern: only the proximal side of the bowel wall is visible due to beam attenuation by gas; C: Fluid pattern: the bowel is filled with fluid and faeces with a tubular appearance on a longitudinal section.

Figure 2 Wall thickening. A: Inflammatory thickening: regular, with preserved wall stratification; B: Neoplastic thickening: irregular with “pseudokidney appearance”.

Figure 3 Stenosis in patients with Crohn’s disease. A: B-mode aspect: narrow lumen with dilatation of the upstream segments; B: The presence of vascular signals on power Doppler indicates the inflammatory nature of stenosis.

Figure 4 Diverticular disease. A: Reflective outpouchings adjacent to the colonic wall; B: Acoustic shadowing outside the lumen indicating the presence of a coprolith.