Mesenteric edema

A radiologic or intraoperative finding of abnormal fluid accumulation and increased attenuation within the mesenteric fat, producing a hazy, striated, or “misty” appearance of the mesentery due to edema, inflammation, hemorrhage, or infiltration.

Causes

• Fuid overload and reduced oncotic pressure

  • Liver cirrhosis

  • Heart failure

  • Kidney failure

  • Hypoalbuminemia

  • Protein-losing states

• Vascular causes

  • Mesenteric venous thrombosis

  • Portal hypertension

  • Mesenteric congestion

  • Venous outflow obstruction

• Inflammatory causes

  • Pancreatitis

  • Appendicitis

  • Diverticulitis

  • Peritonitis

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

• Ischemic causes

  • Mesenteric ischemia

  • Bowel infarction

  • Reperfusion injury

• Traumatic and hemorrhagic causes

  • Abdominal trauma

  • Mesenteric contusion

  • Mesenteric hematoma

  • Postoperative changes

• Neoplastic and infiltrative causes

  • Peritoneal carcinomatosis

  • Lymphoma

  • Mesenteric tumor infiltration

  • Fibrosing mesenteritis

• Radiation therapy