Small bowel vascular disorders from arterial etiology and impaired venous drainage.

Intestinal ischemia of the small bowel represents an important diagnostic question to answer in an emergency. Although some findings could be appreciated with basic imaging methods, the MDCT as a modern noninvasive imaging method could be effective in evaluating intestinal disease caused by superior mesenteric artery or vein occlusion and making a diagnosis of ischemia from low-flow states. Looking at the features of the parietal layers with knowledge of the pathologic mechanism underlying the changes from the "normality" could be helpful in making a correct, prompt, and effective diagnosis of intestinal ischemia or disease from impaired venous drainage.