CT demonstration of ascending colon varices.

The radiographic appearance of intestinal edema, including colonic edema, has been well described in the literature. Severe wall circumferential thickening can occur within the colon in a number of conditions. This includes edema secondary to colitis, allergy, ischemia, and infiltrative neoplastic processes. Edema may be secondary to low protein levels, as from protein losing enteropathy, nephrotic syndrome, and hepatic cirrhosis. The following case, in which there was severe ascending colonic wall thickening due to edema, is unusual in two respects: it had well-developed demonstrated "protective" right colonic varices and a normal protein level.