Differential diagnosis of intussusception

• Ileocolic intussusception
• Intussusception due to a pathologic lead point
• Transient small bowel-small bowel intussusception

Approach to the differential diagnosis of intussusception:

• 90% of intussusceptions are idiopathic and are due to hypertrophied Peyer’s patches serving as the lead point
• In patients > 3 years old or in patients with recurrent intussusception, consider and look for a pathological cause of a lead point such as Meckel diverticulum, lymphoma, or polyps
• If intussusception is < 3 cm in diameter on a transverse US image it is most likely a transient small bowel-small bowel intussusception, so rescan the patient in 10 minutes to see if it has gone away