Need Help with CT Results/Almost Diagnosed

[MemeSellers]

Hello everyone, I went to see the new doctor today and got my CT results back. He said that it is showing inflammation from my stomach throughout my bowel that is consistant with Crohn's Disease, next steps if for upper and lower scopes on 7/1/15. The Findings are as follows:

There is thickening of the antral portion of the stomach which is nonspecific likely artifactual related to nondistention.
There is thickening of the ascending and proximal transverse colon and there are air-fluid levels within the colonic loops.
There is thickening of the distal transverse colon, splenic flexure, and descending colon.
There are air-fluid levels in nondistended small bowel loops consistant with reactive small bowel ileus.
IMPRESSION:
1. Colitis with skipped lesions involving the ascending, proximal transverse colon, distal transverse and descending colon which is either infectious, or noninfectious inflammatory in etiology including Crohn's Disease and pseudomembranous colitis.
2. Apparent antral thickening of the stomach likely artifactual.
3. Reactive small bowl ileus and colonic ileus.

Can anyone give me what all this is saying in laymens terms??

Thank you so much for the replies. Hopefully I am almost at the diagnosis and treatment stage of this disease!!:dance:

 

[kiny]

Wall thickening is nonspecific and not diagnostic, it just means there is inflammation, either from an infection, from crohn's or any other disease. You can't differentiate this on a CT.

Skip lesions is typical for crohn's disease, crohn's disease is patchy, there are areas with inflammation and areas without. Which is why they suspect crohn's or collitis and not UC, in UC the whole intestine is inflamed, that's never the case with crohn's. This is seen in infections too, which is why they mention they don't know if it's of infectious or non-infectious origin. What crohn's disease does feature is wall thickening and transmural inflammation.

Colitis, because you have inflammation in your colon, and not just in your ileum.

The air fluid levels could be because of a number of factors, bloating, obstruction. Reactive small bowl ileus, can be caused by any obstruction or other issues, they'll have to see with a scope.



Why they want to do a colonoscopy is because it will show possible granuloma (which are very indicative of either crohn's or an infection), inflamed lymph follicles, mucosal inflammation, if you have any fibrosis.

A colonoscopy will also allow them to take biopsies, which can rule out infections like intestinal TB and other infections by culturing and histology.

 

[baistuff]

Hello everyone, I went to see the new doctor today and got my CT results back. He said that it is showing inflammation from my stomach throughout my bowel that is consistant with Crohn's Disease, next steps if for upper and lower scopes on 7/1/15. The Findings are as follows:

There is thickening of the antral portion of the stomach which is nonspecific likely artifactual related to nondistention.
There is thickening of the ascending and proximal transverse colon and there are air-fluid levels within the colonic loops.
There is thickening of the distal transverse colon, splenic flexure, and descending colon.
There are air-fluid levels in nondistended small bowel loops consistant with reactive small bowel ileus.
IMPRESSION:
1. Colitis with skipped lesions involving the ascending, proximal transverse colon, distal transverse and descending colon which is either infectious, or noninfectious inflammatory in etiology including Crohn's Disease and pseudomembranous colitis.
2. Apparent antral thickening of the stomach likely artifactual.
3. Reactive small bowl ileus and colonic ileus.

Can anyone give me what all this is saying in laymens terms??

Thank you so much for the replies. Hopefully I am almost at the diagnosis and treatment stage of this disease!!:dance:

1. Inflammation of the colon (non specific.) The skip areas are most consistent with crohns. Pseudomenbranous colitis is a severe effect of C. diff infection. Not really applicable unless you have tested + for C. diff. Infections can cause similar findings, which is why before any IBD diagnosis stool cultures should be done. If they have and are negative, the chances of crohns greatly increases

2. Meaningless

3) An ileus is where the natural perastaltic waves of bowel which move things along comes to a halt. Can happen b/c of surgery, meds, infections, and sometimes IBD. They can self resolve and be temporary but also can lead to bowel obstruction if they get worse (symptoms would be Nausea, vomiting, rotten egg like belching, distended belly, pain, and most commonly, loss of stool and gas production- called obstipation.) If you have those symptoms, have no appetite or can't tolerate food/drink, get it checked out ASAP. The fact that the loops of bowel are not distended probably means the ileus is mild or resolving, but it's hard to say for sure.


All that being said, CT is not a great modality for evaluating diseases that affect the mucosa (inside lining) of the colon.

A diagnosis cannot officially be made without a colonoscopy and EGD with biopsies.

Good luck.

 

[DougUte]

Hi Melissa.

I don't understand a lot of the language in your CT results, but the stuff about "Colitis with skipped lesions involving the ascending, Proximal Transverse Colon, distal transverse and descending colon.... sounds like Crohn's Disease to me. In Crohn's you will see the effected intestines become inflamed, with sections of normal looking bowel between the inflamed sections. My GI described it once as looking like sausages strung together. It sounds to me the crohn's is throughout your colon (So sorry), I hope I am interpreting it wrong and only the terminal ileum is involved.

I think it is really best to have the results given to you by your doctor. I agree the next step should be the scopes you are having done on July 1st. They will give a much better evaluation of what is going on in the muscosal lining of your bowels.

 

[MemeSellers]

First, thank you all for the responses. I have tested negative for C Diff and parasites. I am going to include my original post to the forum so you will know my story as well. Hopefully after these next scopes I will be able to get treatment started.
First post to the forum::
Hello, I am new to the Forum but have read on here for the last several years. I am currently undiagnosed and miserable. I have been to 3 GI doctors and my current doctor tells me I just need to learn how to live my life, that it's just IBS although I have tried all of the IBS medicine and they do nothing to help!!. I am going to list my symptoms and meds we have tried and any opinions would be greatly appreciated!! Everything began in 2008 after I had my gallbladder out. I am positive I have Crohn's disease but since thee biopsies are always negative, they will not give me a formal diagnosis. I have chronic abdominal pain within 10 minutes of getting out of bed, usually the LRQ or to the left of my navel. I run a slight fever all the time. I cramp to the point of being doubled over in pain. I wake up 4-6 times every night to go to the bathroom. I have diarrhea 10-20+ daily containing mucous, undigested food and has been bloody for the last 8 months. Sometimes my stomach bloats and distends to where I look Pregnant. As soon as I begin a meal, I have to run to the bathroom. Every meal makes me nauseas and I sweat and feel like I am going to pass out, sometimes I get the same feeling right before a bowel movement. I vomit on occasion from the pain. Certain foods will not pass through me, like mushrooms, nuts, celery, meats and fibrous foods. I have had multiple scopes upper and lower, SBFT, Pill Cam. Gastritis and ulcers in stomach and duodenum show on every scope. I have developed arthritis in my back and hips. My joints hurt all the time. I have developed kidney stones since 2012 with no family history. Had to have surgery to remove one in 2013. I am exhausted all the time no matter how long I have slept. I have mouth ulcers in my mouth and on the corners of my mouth. I have also developed Anal Fissures with skin tags. I have tried the NTG suppositories and they will not heal, so I am waiting on a surgical consult for that. I had a cat scan in 2013 that showed Enteritis and Ileitis, small bowel diffusely distended and fluid filled. Elevated CRP, ESR and WBC for the last three lab tests. Vitamin levels are very low such as Vitamin D, B12, Potassium and Iron. My body for the last two months is involuntarily pushing with a bowel movement with nothing coming out except bloody mucous. I am seeing a new doctor next week and hope that he can help me! My brother was diagnosed with Crohn's last year and my mother has had obstructions and a resection last year but she tested negative for IBD. I am just at my wits end and am sick of being sick and tired with no help. I did try Entocort, 9mg daily for 5 months but it did nothing. I take Phenergan when I eat to help with the nausea. I am sorry this is so long but I really hope someone on here can help me! Thank you for listening!
Melissa

 

[DougUte]

Wow Melissa, you have been going through hell! I too was diagnosed with IBS. The IBS meds did absolutely nothing for me. I was misdiagnosed with IBS for 6 years before a I found a doctor who got it right. Hopefully your new doc will be able to get you towards a diagnosis that is correct (from what you said I think strongly you have crohn's disease. Put I am just a patient, so what do I know. Hang in there.

 

[MemeSellers]

Thanks DougUte!! I appreciate your kind words!! Yes, this has been pure hell. I think I have tried every IBS drug on the market and your right, nothing helps!! It is so nice to talk to someone who understands what I am going through and how I feel!!