Intussusception differential diagnosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Differential Diagnosis

The differential diagnosis of intussusception depends on the presenting symptoms: 

●Rectal bleeding and vomiting:

•Meckel diverticulum

•Bacterial or amoebic colitis

•Malrotation with midgut volvulus

These and other causes of rectal bleeding are summarized in separate topic reviews. (See "Lower gastrointestinal bleeding in children: Causes and diagnostic approach" and "Meckel's diverticulum" and "Intestinal malrotation in children".)

●Acute onset of crampy abdominal pain:

•Gastroenteritis

•Appendicitis

•Mesenteric ischemia

•Ovarian torsion

•Malrotation with volvulus

•Incarcerated hernia

•Peritonitis

Abbreviations: RUQ= Right upper quadrant of the abdomen, LUQ= Left upper quadrant, LLQ= Left lower quadrant, RLQ= Right lower quadrant, LFT= Liver function test, SIRS= Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, ERCP= Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, IV= Intravenous, N= Normal, AMA= Anti mitochondrial antibodies, LDH= Lactate dehydrogenase, GI= Gastrointestinal, CXR= Chest X ray, IgA= Immunoglobulin A, IgG= Immunoglobulin G, IgM= Immunoglobulin M, CT= Computed tomography, PMN= Polymorphonuclear cells, ESR= Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP= C-reactive protein, TS= Transferrin saturation, SF= Serum Ferritin, SMA= Superior mesenteric artery, SMV= Superior mesenteric vein, ECG= Electrocardiogram, US = Ultrasound

Disease Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Comments Symptoms Signs Abdominal Pain Fever Rigors and chills Nausea or vomiting Jaundice Constipation Diarrhea GI bleeding Hypo- tension Guarding Rebound Tenderness Bowel sounds Lab Findings Imaging Intussusception Episodic ± - + - - - Bloody stool Occult Blood Positive if in shock Positive if intestine perforated Positive if intestine perforated Decreased or hypoactive Leukocytosis Electrolyte imbalance Ultrasound Target Sign/Doughnut sign Pseudo-kidney sign X-Ray Crescent sign Absence of air in RLQ,RUQ Distended loops of bowel Non-operative reduction done in stable patients Surgical reduction done if patient unstable/non-operative reduction completely unsuccessful Peptic ulcer disease Diffuse ± − + − − − Gastric ulcer- melena and hematemesis Duodenal ulcer- melena and hematochezia Positive if perforated Positive if perforated Positive if perforated N Ascitic fluid LDH > serum LDH Glucose < 50mg/dl Total protein > 1g/dl Air under diaphragm in upright CXR Upper GI endoscopy for diagnosis Gastritis Epigastric ± − + − − − + − − − N H.pylori infection diagnostic tests Endoscopy H.pylori gastritis guideline recommendation Gastroesophageal reflux disease Epigastric − − ± − − − − − − − N N Gastric emptying studies Esophageal manometry Endoscopy for alarm signs Gastric outlet obstruction Epigastric − − ± − − − − − − − Hyperactive Complete blood count Basic metabolic panel Abdominal x-ray- air fluid level Barium upper GI studies- narrowed pylorus Succussion splash Gastroparesis Epigastric − − + − − − − ± − − Hyperactive/hypoactive Hemoglobin Fasting plasma glucose Serum total protein, albumin, thyrotropin (TSH), and an antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer HbA1c Scintigraphic gastric emptying Succussion splash Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) Full thickness gastric and small intestinal biopsy Gastrointestinal perforation Diffuse + ± - ± − − + + + ± Hyperactive/hypoactive WBC> 10,000 Air under diaphragm in upright CXR Hamman's sign Dumping syndrome Lower and then diffuse − − + − − + − + − − Hyperactive Glucose challenge test Hydrogen breath test Upper GI series Gastric emptying study Postgastrectomy Disease Abdominal Pain Fever Rigors and chills Nausea or vomiting Jaundice Constipation Diarrhea GI bleeding Hypo- tension Guarding Rebound Tenderness Bowel sounds Lab Findings Imaging Comments Acute appendicitis Starts in epigastrium, migrates to RLQ + Positive in pyogenic appendicitis + − − ± − Positive in perforated appendicitis + + Hypoactive Leukocytosis Ct scan Ultrasound Positive Rovsing sign Positive Obturator sign Positive Iliopsoas sign Acute diverticulitis LLQ + ± + − + ± + Positive in perforated diverticulitis + + Hypoactive Leukocytosis CT scan Ultrasound History of constipation Inflammatory bowel disease Diffuse ± − − ± − + + − − − Normal or hyperactive Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (P-ANCA) in Ulcerative colitis Anti saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) in Crohn's disease String sign on abdominal x-ray in Crohn's disease Extra intestinal findings: Uveitis Arthritis Irritable bowel syndrome Diffuse − − − − ± ± − − − − N Normal Normal Symptomatic treatment High dietary fiber Osmotic laxatives Antispasmodic drugs Whipple's disease Diffuse ± − − ± − + − ± − − N Thrombocytopenia Hypoalbuminemia Small intestinal biopsy for Tropheryma whipplei Endoscopy is used to confirm diagnosis. Images used to find complications Chest and joint x-ray CT MRI Echocardiography Extra intestinal findings: Uveitis Endocarditis Encephalitis Dementia Hepatosplenomegaly Arthritis Ascites Disease Abdominal Pain Fever Rigors and chills Nausea or vomiting Jaundice Constipation Diarrhea GI bleeding Hypo- tension Guarding Rebound Tenderness Bowel sounds Lab Findings Imaging Comments Tropical sprue Diffuse + − − − − + − − − − N Fat soluble vitamin deficiency Hypoalbuminemia Fecal stool test Barium studies: Dilation and edema of mucosal folds Steatorrhea- 10-40 g/day (Normal=5 g/day) Celiac disease Diffuse − − − − − + − − − − Hyperactive IgA endomysial antibody IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody Anti-gliadin antibody Small bowel biopsy US: Bull’s eye or target pattern Pseudokidney sign Gluten allergy Infective colitis Diffuse + − ± − − + + Positive in fulminant colitis ± ± Hyperactive Stool culture and studies Shiga toxin in bloody diarrhea PCR CT scan Bowel wall thickening Edema Disease Abdominal Pain Fever Rigors and chills Nausea or vomiting Jaundice Constipation Diarrhea GI bleeding Hypo- tension Guarding Rebound Tenderness Bowel sounds Lab Findings Imaging Comments Colon carcinoma Diffuse/ RLQ/LLQ − − − − ± ± + ± − − Normal or hyperactive if obstruction present CBC Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) Colonoscopy Flexible sigmoidoscopy Barium enema CT colonography  PILLCAM 2: A colon capsule for CRC screening may be used in patients with an incomplete colonoscopy who lacks obstruction Disease Abdominal Pain Fever Rigors and chills Nausea or vomiting Jaundice Constipation Diarrhea GI bleeding Hypo- tension Guarding Rebound Tenderness Bowel sounds Lab Findings Imaging Comments Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis Diffuse + − − Positive in cirrhotic patients − + − ± + + Hypoactive Ascitic fluid PMN>250 cells/mm³ Culture: Positive for single organism Ultrasound for evaluation of liver cirrhosis Small bowel obstruction Diffuse + − + − + − − + + ± Hyperactive then absent Leukocytosis with left shift indicates complications Abdominal X ray Dilated loops of bowel with air fluid levels Gasless abdomen "Target sign"– , indicative of intussusception Venous cut-off sign" – suggests thrombosis Volvulus Diffuse - − + − + − − Positive in perforated cases + + Hyperactive then absent Leukocytosis CT scan and abdominal X ray U shaped sigmoid colon "Whirl sign"

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