Use of novel photon – counting detector CT for diagnosis of bowel infarction

A 75 year old male with a history of thoraco-abdominal surgery presented with acute onset epigastric pain. CT of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast performed on a novel photon-counting detector CT demonstrated dilated loops of small bowel herniating into the thoracic cavity through a defect in the left hemidiaphragm. On conventional CT reconstructions, the bowel wall demonstrated a thin rim of hyper-density which could have been interpreted as normal mucosal enhancement in viable bowel. However, spectral-imaging data including the iodine map revealed a complete lack of enhancement within the herniated loops of bowel compatible with infarction. With the added diagnostic information, the patient was taken rapidly to surgery for small bowel resection, with good outcome.