Thumbprinting

Changed by Henry Knipe, 2 Oct 2014

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Thumbprinting is a radiographic sign of large bowel wall thickening, usually oedematous thickening, related to an infective or inflammatory process (colitis). The normal haustra become thickened at regular intervals appearing like thumbprints projecting into the aerated lumen.

Pathology

Aetiology

Thumbprinting may be seen in:

inflammatory bowel disease
- Crohn disease
- ulcerative colitis
infection (i.e. pseudomembranous colitis)
ischaemic bowel
diverticulitis
mucosal/submucosal haemorrhage ²
lymphoma ⁴
amyloid ⁴

Radiographic appearance

Plain films/CT

Thumb-shaped, nodular, indentations at regular intervals in the bowel wall.

~~-<li><a href="/articles/crohns-disease-4">Crohn disease</a></li>~~
+<li><a href="/articles/crohn-disease-1">Crohn disease</a></li>

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Image 6 X-ray (Supine) ( create )

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Case 65: infectious colitis

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