CT findings and correlation of mesenteric,omental and retroperitoneal edema in patients with cirrhosis

Objective:To describe and study the CT findings and correlation of mesenteric,omental,and retroperitoneal edema in patients with cirrhosis.Methods:62 cases of cirrhosis with no other cause of edema were proved with biopsy and pathology,Abdominal CT was performed in all the 62 cases,then the abdominal CT findings was assessed about the presence,severity,distribution,and configuration of mesenteric edema and the presence of omental and retroperitoneal edema,then study the correlation of them.Results:Edema in at least one site was seen in 48(77.4%)of the 62 patients.Mesenteric edema was present in 46 patients.Mesenteric edema occurred alone in 18 and with omental or retroperitoneal edema in 28 of the 46 patients with edema.Only 1 patient had omental and retroperitoneal edema alone.Mesenteric edema with omentum and retroperitoneum edema showed a statistically significant association with the presence of moderate to severe mesenteric edema(P0.01)and diffuse distribution of mesenteric edema(P0.01).Moderate to severe mesenteric edema showed a significant association with diffuse distribution(P0.01)and mass like configuration(P0.01)of the mesenteric edema.Conclusion:Mesenteric,omental,and retroperitoneal edema occur commonly in patients with cirrhosis,there was a significant association among them.CT scans play a very important role in diagnosis.