Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sonographic diagnosis of portal venous gas in two pediatric liver transplant patients with benign pneumatosis intestinalis

Case reports and literature review

  • Originals
  • Published:
Pediatric Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Penumatosis Intestinalis (gas in the bowell wall) is uncommon in children and is associated with a number of clinical conditions [1] most notably necrotizing enterocolitits in sick neonates. We observed portal venous gas on sonography and benign pneumatosis intestinalis on abdominal raiiography in two children who had recently undergone liver transplantation. Asymptomatic portal venous gas and pneumatosis intestinalis has not been described previously in pediatric liver transplant patients. It is important to recognize the sonorgaphic appearance of portal venous gas since sonography is the imaging modality most frequently utilized for monitoring the allograft post liver transplantation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Olmsted WW, Madewell JE (1976) Penumatosis cystoides intestinalis: a pathophysiologic explanation of the roentgenographic signs. Gastrointest Radiol 1: 177

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Jaffe N, Carlson DH, Vawter GF (1972) Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in acute leukemia. Cancer 30: 239

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kleinman P, Meyers MA, Abbott G, Kazam E (1976) Necrotizing enterocolitis with pneumatosis intestinalis in systemic lupus erythematosus and polyarteritis. Radiology 121: 595

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Yeager AM, Kanof ME, Kramer SS, Jones B, Saral R, Lake AM, Santos GW (1987) Pneumatosis intestinalis in children after allogenic bone marrow transplantation. Pediatr Radiol 17: 18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Wall LL, Lindshaw MA, Bailie MD, Pierce GE (1982) Pneumatosis intestinalis in a pediatric renal transplant patient. J Pediatr 101: 745

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Koep LJ, Peters TG, Strarzl TE (1979) Major colonic complications of hepatic transplanation. Dis Colon Rectum 22: 218

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bates FT, Gurney JW, Goodman LR, Santamaria JJ, Hansen RM, Ash RC (1989) Pneumatosis intestinalis in bone-marrow transplantation patients: diagnosis on routine chest radiographs. AJR 152: 991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Keats TE, Smith TH (1974) Benign pneumatosis intestinalis in childhood leukemia. AJR 122: 150

    Google Scholar 

  9. Meyers WC, Harris N, Stein S, Brooks M, Jones RS, Thompson WM, Stickel DL, Seigler HF (1979) Alimentary tract complications after renal transplantation. Ann Surg. 190: 535

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Merritt CRB, Goldsmith JP, Sharp MJ (1984) Sonographic detection of portal venous gas in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis. AJR 143: 1059

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, M5G 1X8, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    S. King &  B. Shuckett

Authors
  1. S. King
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. Shuckett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

King, S., Shuckett, B. Sonographic diagnosis of portal venous gas in two pediatric liver transplant patients with benign pneumatosis intestinalis. Pediatr Radiol 22, 577–578 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02015354

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02015354

Keywords

Search

Navigation