Medical Definition of pneumatosis
: the presence of air or gas in abnormal places in the body.
What causes pneumatosis?
Benign pneumatosis can be caused by a variety of reasons such as pulmonary disease, systemic disease (scleroderma, lupus, AIDS), intestinal inflammation, iatrogenic/procedures, medications (steroids, chemotherapeutic drugs, lactulose, sorbitol and voglibose), and organ transplantation 4.
What does pneumatosis indicate?
Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI), defined as gas in the bowel wall, is often first identified on abdominal radiographs or computed tomography (CT) scans. It is a radiographic finding and not a diagnosis, as the etiology varies from benign conditions to fulminant gastrointestinal disease.
