Small-Bowel Obstruction: Coronal Reformations from Isotropic Voxels at 16-Section Multi–Detector Row CT

Purpose: To retrospectively assess the added value of coronal reformations of the abdomen and pelvis from isotropic voxels by using 16-section multi–detector row computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction (SBO). Materials and Methods: This HIPAA-compliant study was approved by the institutional review board of this medical center with a waiver of informed consent. One hundred consecutive patients (40 men and 60 women; mean age, 55 years) suspected of having SBO and abdominal pain underwent 16-section multi–detector row CT with coronal reformations. Twenty-nine patients had a final diagnosis of SBO, and 71 patients did not. Three independent readers blinded to the diagnosis interpreted the CT scout scan, then transverse scans alone, and then transverse plus coronal scans for the presence of SBO and abnormal wall enhancement. Confidence was scored with a 1–5 scale (1 = absent, 5 = present). Results: Mean sensitivity and specificity of CT scout alone, transverse CT alone, and trans...