Abdominal CT scan findings of decompression sickness: A case report

Abstract

This case report depicts the radiologic findings of a 51-year-old male presenting with Decompression Sickness. Decompression Sickness is diagnosed clinically, therefore radiologic imaging of this disease entity is limited. Our patient's history includes a scuba dive to depth of 110 feet with a descending time of 24 minutes and an ascending time of 8 minutes. The patient subsequently presented to the Emergency Room with symptoms of shortness of breath and abdominal pain. The abdominal pain prompted physicians to explore further, and hence computed tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen and pelvis was performed. This case report demonstrates a striking and unique gas pattern in both the systemic and portal venous system of our patient and provides an excellent example of the imaging findings of Decompression Sickness in the literature.