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A pictorial review of hypovolaemic shock in adults

¹ Department of Radiology, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland, ² Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence: A M Tarrant, 177 Ashbrook, Clontarf, Dublin 3, Ireland. E-mail: ailbhetarrant{at}hotmail.com

Hypovolaemic shock is an infrequently encountered entity found on CT of victims of severe trauma. Early abdominal and pelvic CT can show diffuse abnormalities owing to hypovolaemia that may alert radiologists to the presence of hypovolaemic shock. In this pictorial review, we present the imaging findings of hypovolaemic shock, as seen on CT of the abdomen. A spectrum of vascular and visceral CT signs is described. Vascular signs include diminished inferior vena cava diameter, diminished aortic diameter and abnormal vascular enhancement. Hollow visceral abnormalities include diffuse increased mucosal enhancement of both the small and large bowel, diffuse thickening of the small bowel wall, and small bowel dilatation. Solid visceral abnormalities include both decreased and increased end organ enhancement. This report should increase radiologists' awareness of the CT manifestations of hypovolaemic shock.

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