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Published in: Emergency Radiology 2/2008

01-03-2008 | Case Report

An emergency diagnostic dilemma: a case of Yersinia enterocolitica colitis mimicking acute appendicitis in a β-thalassemia major patient: the role of CT and literature review

Authors: Petros Antonopoulos, Fotois Constantinidis, Georgios Charalampopoulos, Konstantinos Dalamarinis, Ioannis Karanicas, Garyfallia Kokkini

Published in: Emergency Radiology | Issue 2/2008

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Abstract

The role of computed tomography (CT) scanning in a case of Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) enteritis mimicking acute appendicitis in a 34-year-old female patient with β-thalassemia major is presented. Although the abdominal CT findings on admittance were indicative of acute appendicitis (enlargement of the appendix and thickening of its wall), making appendectomy a likely treatment option, a second CT scan 3 days later was diagnostic for infectious colitis (bowel wall thickening, ulcerations of the colonic mucosa, and fat stranding), and an unnecessary appendectomy was thus avoided. The diagnosis of YE colitis was later confirmed by serology tests.
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Metadata
Title
An emergency diagnostic dilemma: a case of Yersinia enterocolitica colitis mimicking acute appendicitis in a β-thalassemia major patient: the role of CT and literature review
Authors
Petros Antonopoulos
Fotois Constantinidis
Georgios Charalampopoulos
Konstantinos Dalamarinis
Ioannis Karanicas
Garyfallia Kokkini
Publication date
01-03-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Emergency Radiology / Issue 2/2008
Print ISSN: 1070-3004
Electronic ISSN: 1438-1435
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-007-0643-8

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