Purpose or Case Report: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most leading causes of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. It usually develops within the first days following birth. NEC is a gastrointestinal disease, that can affect any part of the large or small bowel but most commonly affects the terminal ileum and colon. It causes inflammation and tissue death of the affected area and can lead to bowel perforations and a need for surgical resections. In severe cases, bacteria and waste products can pass through the perforated intestine and enter the baby’s bloodstream or abdominal cavity which can cause a life threatening infection and shock. In a pediatric hospital, that treats premature infants, signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis are very important to diagnose quickly. Most common symptoms include poor feeds, bloating or swelling in the abdomen, bloody stools and diarrhea. In order to manage the disease medically and surgically, prompt diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds and xrays need to be performed. Abdominal X-rays are the gold standard of diagnosis and treatment planning. Therefore it is crucial, to recognize the radiographic signs of NEC. The purpose of this abstract is to describe radiographic appearances associated with NEC, which include: dilated bowel loops, thickened bowel walls with edema, pneumatosis intestinalis, abdominal free air, portal venous gas, absence of bowel gas. I will present confirmed cases that show radiographic signs of NEC.
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