Intussusception happens when one part of the bowel slides into the adjacent part, causing blockage and sometimes reduced blood flow.
Symptoms often include severe abdominal pain that comes and goes, vomiting, pallor, a swollen abdomen, and sometimes stool mixed with blood or mucus.
Imaging helps confirm the diagnosis quickly, and in children imaging may also be part of treatment when air or contrast enema reduction is attempted.
Ultrasound often shows the classic bowel-within-bowel pattern, and CT may help in adults or complicated cases.
Management may include enema reduction in children or surgery depending on age, cause, and severity.
This entry explains the condition. The next step is having a radiologist interpret your specific scan, not a general definition.
