When a black olive kernel causes SBO: first comparison of CT acquisition

Description

A man aged 24 years presented with acute abdominal pain since 2 days. His past medical history was unremarkable. On physical examination, the abdomen was tender, soft and tympanic to percussion, with absent bowel sounds. CT of the abdomen revealed imaging signs indicating mechanical small bowel obstruction (SBO) related to ileal wall thickening (figure 1A) and to the presence of an alimentary fragment (an olive with its stone, one of the favourite foods of the patient) (figure 1A). The nature of the foreign body causing the SBO was suspected by the detailed history taking of the patient's alimentary habits. To confirm this diagnosis, a CT acquisition (figure 1B) of fresh olives (figure 1C) was made and the picture was compared with the patient images.

Figure 1

(A) Pelvic small bowel dilated loop with an ileal wall thickening...

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