Colonic Abnormalities on CT in Adult Hospitalized Patients with Clostridium difficile Colitis: Prevalence and Significance of Findings

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of an abnormal colon on CT in adult inpatients with Clostridium difficile colitis, compare the clinical presentation of these patients, and determine whether CT findings predicted the need for surgical treatment.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Over a 21-month period, 152 of 572 inpatients with C. difficile colitis were identified and had CT scans performed within 2 weeks of the diagnosis. These were independently and retrospectively reviewed by two reviewers. Those with colonic wall thickness greater than 4 mm were considered positive (CT-positive patients) and were further reviewed for specific findings in the colon. All 152 patients with CT scans were also retrospectively reviewed using the hospital information system for certain clinical parameters, admitting diagnoses, and reasons for scanning. The following were compared using several statistical tests: clinical parameters in CT-positive and CT-negative patients and surgical and nonsurgical ...