Pediatric Infectious Colitis

Etiology: Viruses, bacteria, protozoa
Imaging US:
— Thickening of colonic wall
— Hyperemia
— Hyperechoic submucosal layer
— Decreased peristalsis
— Hyperechogeniciy of mesocolic fat
— Lymph nodes in mesocolon
Note: Clostridium difficile colitis typically occurs in patients after antibiotic therapy and appears as pan colitis with diffuse colonic wall thickening
DDX: Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis
Complications:
Treatment: Self resolving
Clinical:

Radiology Cases of Infectious Colitis

US of infectious colitis — Transverse US of the cecum (to the left of the image) shows circular circumferential thickening of colonic wall and a hyperechoic submucosal layer.

Radiology Cases of Salmonella Enterocolitis

CT of salmonella colitis — Axial CT with contrast of the abdomen shows marked thickening of the ascending colon along with multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the right lower quadrant.

Radiology Cases of Hirschsprung Enterocolitis

Enema of Hirshsprung enterocolitis — AXR AP (above) shows an obstructive bowel gas pattern with multiple dilated loops of small bowel. AP image from an enema (below left) shows the contour of the entire colon to have an irregular, serrated appearance. The terminal ileum was refluxed. Lateral image from the enema (below right) shows the diameter of the rectum to be less than the diameter of the sigmoid colon (recto-sigmoid inversion).