Omental infarction preceded by anatomically upturned omentum

Omental ischemia

Omental ischemia is a rare cause of acute abdomen. Clinical diagnosis is usually difficult because clinical signs and symptoms are similar to other common causes of abdominal pain. The most common differential diagnosis is acute appendicitis. Diagnosis is mainly based on ultrasound, and especially computed tomography scan analysis. There is, at present, no standard treatment modality for omental ischemia. When diagnosed by radiological imaging, omental ischemia can be managed conservatively. We hereby review incidence, etiology, pathology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, biological anomalies, radiological features, and treatment options of omental ischemia.

Omental infarction and its mimics: imaging features of acute abdominal conditions presenting with fat stranding greater than the degree of bowel wall thickening

The segmental omental infarction is a rare self-limited disorder presenting with aspecific clinical symptoms that may mimic several acute abdominal conditions. Therefore, a correct noninvasive diagnosis is important because treatment approaches range from monitoring to surgery. As omental infarction results in an important fat stranding that is much greater than the degree of bowel wall thickening, it suggests a narrower differential diagnosis: appendicitis, diverticulitis, epiploic appendagitis, and mesenteric panniculitis. In this pictorial essay, we point out the importance of imaging in identifying this typical sign allowing alternate diagnoses such as segmental omental infarction that can be conservatively managed.