Role of CT in Early Diagnosis of Small Bowel Lymphoma in a Patient with Presumptive Diagnosis of Adhesive Bowel Obstruction- A Case Report

ABSTRACT: Small bowel obstruction is one of the commonly encountered disease state by surgeons all over the world and postoperative adhesions remain the most common cause of small bowel obstruction till date. Other rarer causes of small bowel obstruction include small bowel malignancies like lymphomas and adenocarcinoma, foreign bodies, intussusception, volvulus, hernias etc. Even though adhesions are the commonest cause behind bowel obstruction, these patients are also equally susceptible to be diagnosed with other rarer causes of small bowel obstruction. In such situations, a CT scan can aid in early diagnosis of these rarer causes and prevent unnecessary delays in surgical management. Here we report a case where a presumptive diagnosis of adhesive obstruction was made but a CT scan early in the course of treatment helped us diagnose small bowel malignancy immediately, to terminate conservative management and proceed with immediate laparotomy.