Bowel wall thickening

Hello @npkara -- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I have no medical training or background but I can see where you might be concerned with the doctors response. Did they give you any explanation of what the cause might be?

I did a search and found some information which may be helpful here:

CT Imaging of Large Bowel Wall Thickening:
-- https://www.jaocr.org/articles/ct-imaging-of-large-bowel-wall-thickening

I am tagging other members who may be able to offer some suggestions. @kanaazpereira @hopeful33250 do you have any information or suggestions for @npkara ?

John

@npkara
I would like to add my welcome to you for posting with Mayo Connect. I'm glad that you shared your concerns here. Have you had any other symptoms other than the diarrhea with the antibiotics? As I read the link that John posted above, it appears that this can be caused by inflammation.

In order to put your mind at ease, I would encourage you to follow up with a GI specialist for a second opinion.

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Teresa

Hi @npkara,

According to Mayo Clinic, "Bowel wall thickening is a nonspecific finding, however, that could also be the result of a bacterial infection of the colon, diverticulitis, or due to an autoimmune condition called inflammatory bowel disease."
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/weekend-wellness-cause-of-ischemic-colitis-often-unclear/
My research also led me to this information:
"If your doctor is concerned about possible complications of C. difficile, he or she may order an abdominal X-ray or a computerized tomography (CT) scan, which provides images of your colon. The scan can detect the presence of complications such as thickening of the colon wall...
The first step in treating C. difficile is to stop taking the antibiotic that triggered the infection, when possible. "
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351697
@npkara, would you be able to share a bit more about yourself? Do you have an autoimmune condition that concerns you?

had ct scan found thickening of transverse colon may be infectious or inflammatory alot of pain in abdomen ,nausea just feeling horrible

Hello @dlaino, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm sorry to hear that you are in a lot of pain. There is another discussion on Connect you may find helpful here:

Groups > Digestive Health > Chronic Abdominal Pain
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-abdominal-pain/

Did your doctor suggest any treatments to help you with the pain?

John

Bowel wall thickening is one symptom of Crohn's disease. Ovarian cysts are also common with Crohn's. I'm not a medical professional. I've had Crohn's since 1973. My daughter also has Crohn's. The only way to properly diagnosis Crohn's is by biopsy.

I'm new here and wondering why there isn't a group specific to Crohn's.

Bowel wall thickening is one symptom of Crohn's disease. Ovarian cysts are also common with Crohn's. I'm not a medical professional. I've had Crohn's since 1973. My daughter also has Crohn's. The only way to properly diagnosis Crohn's is by biopsy.

I have concerns about my recent visit to ER with right side abdomen pain in which I have had off and on for 5 years, 5-CT Scans, 5-Ultrasounds, 1-EGD, 2-colonoscopies which did show the diverticula and two polyps taken out each time, but the good ones as they put it , lots of labs and finally something shows up; Mild Wall Thickening of my ascending colon????? I am a 60 Year Old Male and not sure what to think of the findings, ER NP said Colitis and gave me two antibiotics, could not get into my regular Gastrologist for 3 months so went to Allied Physician Gastrologist NP who really doesn't seam concerned and said well you have had allot of tests, have you had a Hida Scan? Now my research on a Hida Scan would have nothing to do with wall thickening of my ascending colon, and then I read at least 10% of the colonoscopies done never even go down into the ascending colon or cecum colon, but of course never tell you that so it gives you a false sense of security thinking your colon is being fully checked out, when in many cases it is not. :
EXAM: COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY ABDOMEN AND PELVIS WITH IV CONTRAST

DATE OF EXAM: 02/06/2019 at 1318 hours.

CLINICAL INDICATION: Abdominal pain for "several months."

TECHNIQUE: Automated exposure control, and/or adjustment of the mA
and/or kV according to the patient's size, and/or iterative
reconstruction technique was used to lower the radiation dose.

Axial helical images of the abdomen and pelvis were obtained from lung
bases through the pubic symphysis with intravenous contrast. Coronal
and sagittal multiplanar reformatted images of the abdomen and pelvis
were provided. Comparison to the prior examination from 03/19/2017 on file.

FINDINGS: No acute abnormalities are seen in the lung bases.
The liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and adrenals are
unremarkable.

No acute abnormalities are seen in the kidneys, in the ureters, or in
the urinary bladder. The prostate and the seminal vesicles appear
age-appropriate. No significant free pelvic fluid is visualized.

The stomach is unremarkable. The small bowel is normal in caliber. The
appendix is normal. There are scattered colonic diverticula. Mild wall
thickening is noted in the ascending segment.

The aorta is nonaneurysmal. There is a mild atherosclerotic disease.
The portal vein is patent. There is no evidence of free
intraperitoneat air. No lymphadenopathy is appreciated.

No suspicious osseous lesions are appreciated.

IMPRESSION:
1.- Mild wall thickening of the ascending colon. Underdistention versus
mild colitis.

2.- No acute abnormalities are otherwise seen in the abdomen and
pelvis. lncidental findings as described above.