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First published online May 11, 2009
British Journal of Radiology (2009) 82, 901-907
© 2009 British Institute of Radiology
doi: 10.1259/bjr/15256968
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Gastric bezoars: reassessment of clinical and radiographic findings in 19 patients

A N HEWITT, MD M S LEVINE, MD S E RUBESIN, MD and I LAUFER, MD

Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Correspondence: Marc S Levine, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. E-mail: marc.levine{at}uphs.upenn.edu

The aim of this study was to reassess the clinical and radiographic findings in a series of patients with gastric bezoars. Radiology files revealed 19 patients with bezoars; 10 patients had CT and 10 had endoscopy before or after the barium studies. 11 patients (58%) had risk factors for gastroparesis and 6 (32%) had had previous gastric surgery, including 3 having had a gastric bypass or vertical banded gastroplasty. 18 patients (95%) had symptoms; in 10 of those patients, symptoms were present for 1 week or less (53%). On barium studies, the bezoars were round or ovoid in 17 patients (89%) and irregular in 2 (11%); mottled in 10 (53%) and homogeneous in 9 (47%); and mobile in 15 (79%) and immobile in 4 (21%). Gastroparesis was observed at fluoroscopy in 8 (62%) out of 13 patients without gastric surgery. Symptoms improved/resolved in 12 (67%) out of 18 patients. Follow-up CT or endoscopy showed resolution of the bezoars in 8 (80%) out of 10 patients; the mean interval to resolution was 12 days. Our experience suggests that gastroparesis is the single most common cause of bezoars, accounting for the majority of cases. Partial gastric resection or bariatric surgery should also be recognized as a cause of bezoar formation. These lesions may be manifested on barium studies by a spectrum of findings, appearing as mottled or homogeneous, mobile or immobile masses, sometimes filling the gastric pouch after bariatric surgery. Affected individuals often have an acute clinical presentation with symptoms for 1 week or less, and some bezoars resolve rapidly on conservative medical treatment.






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