Left Paracolic Gutter Radiology

There is a multi cystic mass extending from the pelvis along the right paracolic gutter to the upper abdomen.

Left paracolic gutter radiology.

The paracolic gutter is associated with a subphrenic abscess. The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side. Infected peritoneal fluids get a passageway through these gutters to other compartments of the abdominal cavity. Left pdh develops through the fossa of landzert into the descending mesocolon and left of the transverse mesocolon and results from failure of fusion of the inferior mesentery to the parietal peritoneum 29.

The inframesocolic space also contains paracolic gutters which are peritoneal recesses that are inferolateral extensions of their corresponding inframesocolic spaces on the posterior abdominal wall lateral to the ascending and descending colon respectively. Fluid in the pelvis may ascend the left paracolic gutter 5 but is stopped by the phrenicocolic ligament pcl. The main paracolic gutter lies lateral to the colon on each side. The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon.

The right paracolic gutter is larger than the left and communicates freely with the right subphrenic space. The connection between the left paracolic gutter and the left subphrenic space is partially limited by the phrenicocolic ligament. The right paracolic gutter is a component of the right inframesocolic space continuous superiorly with the right subhepatic and right subphrenic spaces it is larger than the left paracolic gutter which is partially separated from the left subphrenic spaces by the phrenicocolic ligament. These images look quite similar to images of a pseudomyxoma peritonei which was discussed before.

The inferior poles of the kidney and spleen should be visualized along with the superior portion of the left paracolic gutter. On the left images of a male patient who presented with a lower abdominal mass. In a male patient this is a very uncommon diagnosis. Both paracolic spaces are in continuity with the pelvic peritoneal spaces.

The right and left paracolic gutters are peritoneal recesses on the posterior abdominal wall lying alongside the ascending and descending colon. Fluid in the left inframesocolic space 3 seeks the pelvis directly or is deposited on the superior aspect of the sigmoid mesocolon and then flows into the pelvis 4. The right and left paracolic gutter are connected to subphrenic spaces proximally and to the pelvic area at the distal end. Figure 23 5 in the left upper quadrant the transducer should be placed in a coronal scanning plane on the posterior axillary line between the 6th and 9th ribs with the transducer marker pointed cephalad and slightly posteriorly.