Intestinal Angioedema

Angioedema is a noninflammatory disease characterized by increased capillary permeability with extravasation of intravascular contents leading to edema. The face, limbs, and airways may be involved and angioedema of the latter can cause life threatening airway obstruction. Intestinal involvement is also reported and can present with acute abdomen, or in rare cases, hypovolemic shock.

Angioedema is due to hereditary and idiopathic, or secondary to therapy with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in patients with hypertension.

CECT findings include bowel wall and mucosal thickening, enhancement of the mucosa (differentiates from ischemic bowel wall thickening), prominent mesenteric vessels, and ascites. 


REFERENCES
De Backer AI, De Schepper AM, Vandevenne JE, et al. CT of angioedema of the small bowel. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001;176(3):649-52.
Scheirey CD, Scholz FJ, Shortsleeve MJ, et al. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced small-bowel angioedema: clinical and imaging findings in 20 patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2011;197(2):393-8.