Apport du scanner dans la pathologie du carrefour iléo-cæcal

The ileocecal junction, including the cecum, the last small bowel loop, the ileocecal valve, and the appendix, is the site of a wide variety of inflammatory (appendicitis, cecal diverticulitis, appendicitis, cecal epipoloic appendagitis, Crohn's disease), infectious (infectious ileitis or colitis, tuberculosis), tumor (primary or secondary) or ischemic diseases. Cross-sectional imaging is critical for appropriate management of diseases of the ileocecal junction. Technological advances have been made in cross-sectional imaging through the development of multidetector scanners allowing high quality multiplanar reconstructions, bowel distension techniques such as enteroclysis or CT colonography and finally improved spatial resolution of entero-MRI. Because of its safety profile, ultrasound remains an essential step in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children and young women. The acute abdomen, revealed by a painful right iliac fossa, sometimes associated with an occlusive syndrome, is assessed by CT. A fine clinical analysis often leads to an accurate diagnosis. Apart from emergency situations, entero-MRI should be preferred both for the diagnostic assessment and follow-up of suspected inflammatory disease.