Abnormal colonic wall thickening on computed tomography.

There are many disease processes, both inflammatory and neoplastic, which can alter the colonic bowel wall. A retrospective study was done on surgically proven cases of colonic disease in which colonic bowel wall abnormalities were identified by computed tomography. Colonic bowel wall thickening was the most common finding, but was nonspecific. Finger-like projections extending from the bowel wall into the surrounding mesentery did help distinguish inflammatory change from neoplastic change. Examples of diverticulitis, appendicitis, Crohn's disease, carcinoma, lymphoma, and metastatic disease are presented.