The Feasibility of a Radiological Score Based on CT Signs for Recognizing Salvageable Bowel in Acute Mesenteric Ischemia

Computed tomography (CT) is the standard modality for scanning patients with critical acute abdominal conditions, including suspected acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). CT imaging can potentially differentiate between reversible and irreversible ischaemic damage of the bowel. This moment is pivotal in selecting the treatment strategy for AMI - in the absence of irreversible damage; reperfusion therapy can preserve intestinal viability, thereby avoiding the need for bowel resection. The present study tests the hypothesis that combining several symptoms may enhance the diagnostic performance of CT scanning in detecting salvageable bowel in patients with AMI. This study is an ancillary component of the AMESI study (Clinical Trials: NCT05218863) - a prospective, multicentre observational study aimed at identifying the incidence and describing the outcomes of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) in adult hospitalized patients. The ultimate purpose of the present study is to create a computed tomography-based radiological score for the assessment of bowel viability in patients with AMI.