Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
Open Access

Short Communication

The Mercedes-Benz Sign of Ischemic Colitis

Akira Hokama^1*, Akane Fujita¹, Tetsuya Ohira¹, Masatoshi Kaida¹, Tetsu Kinjo² and Jiro Fujita²

¹Department of Endoscopy, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan

²Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan

*Corresponding Author:

Akira Hokama
Department of Endoscopy, 207 Uehara
Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan
Tel: 81-98-895-1144
Fax: 81-98-895-1414
Email: hokama-a@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp

Received date: May 7, 2015; Accepted date: May 23, 2015; Published date: May 29, 2015

Citation: Hokama A, Fujita A, Ohira T, Kaida M, Kinjo T, et al. (2015) The Mercedes-Benz Sign of Ischemic Colitis. J Gastrointest Dig Syst 5:289. doi:10.4172/2161-069X.1000289

Copyright: © 2015 Hokama A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Ischemic colitis (IC) appears differently in computed tomography scans relative to the slice axis, including target sign on cross section, and the accordion sign in longitudinal image. The Mercedes-Benz sign is originally a triradiate radiolucent shadow, representing gas accumulation within a gallstone. The Mercedes-Benz sign of IC, which we call, is presented by hyperemic mucosa and the triradiate form is produced presumably by tenia coli. We present a case of IC, presenting this interesting radiological finding. Although nonspecific, this sign may allow us to predict the presence of IC.

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