Peritoneal cavity anatomy in CT Peritoneography: a

comprehensive description.

Poster No.: C-0401

Congress: ECR 2016
Type: Educational Exhibit
Authors: J. Calvo Blanco, R. Menendez de Llano, A. Mesa Alvarez, P.
González Filgueira, H. Cigarrán Sexto, B. ARGÜELLES GARCIA,
C. Rodríguez Suárez; Oviedo/ES
Keywords: Abdomen, Anatomy, CT, Education, Education and training
DOI: 10.1594/ecr2016/C-0401

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Page 1 of 22
Learning objectives

• To know CT Peritoneography indications and technique.

• To review the normal peritoneal cavity anatomy by CT Peritoneography.

Background

Peritoneal cavity anatomy is complex and its undersanding may be difficult. CT

peritoneography can help for a better understanding of the normal peritoneal cavity
anatomy. CT Peritoneography, because of its excellent tissue characterization and
multiplanar abilities, is a powerful tool for anatomic delineation of the peritoneal cavity.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is an established treatment option

used to treat end-stage renal failure. This technique is preferred over hemodialysis
for patients in whom vascular access is difficult or for those with diabetes mellitus or
cardiovascular disease. In addition, many patients choose CAPD because it allows more
independence and mobility. In CAPD the dialysate is infused into the peritoneum using
a catheter placed with the tip positioned in the pelvis. The peritoneal membrane serves
as the dialyzer because it is a natural semipermeable membrane.

Abdominal CT in conjunction with intraperitoneal infusion of contrast material has been

used to assess the dynamics of intraperitoneal fluid. CT Peritoneography is the standard
imaging technique for the evaluation of complications related to continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis.

At our institution, the contrast material-dialysate mixture is instilled into the peritoneal
cavity with sterile techniques by trained staff of the Department of Nephrology. These
procedurer include drainage of the dialysate, followed by a infusion of a mixture of 2
L dialysate with approximately 150 mL of a non-ionic contrast medium containing 300
mgI/mL. Patient ambulation and changes in position are necessary to achieve good
distribution of the contrast medium throughout the peritoneal cavity.

Findings and procedure details

What is the peritoneum?

Page 2 of 22
The peritoneum is a serous sac consisting of a thin mesothelial membrane, composed
of a unique layer of mesothelial cells and a connective tissue layer, which lines the
abdominopelvic cavity and covers most of the abdominal organs contained therein.
Although the peritoneum is a single continuous membrane, it is divided arbitrarily into
two sheets, the parietal peritoneum and the visceral peritoneum. The parietal peritoneum
covers the abdominal and pelvic cavities and the visceral peritoneum covers the external
surface of most abdominal organs. Between the parietal and visceral layers of peritoneum
there is a potential space, so-called the peritoneal cavity, with a thin film of serous fluid
that lubricates peritoneal surfaces.

Mesentery, omentum and ligaments: What do these terms refer to?

They define several folds of peritoneum that connect organs with other organs or to the
abdominal wall. They consist of a double layer of peritoneum that supports a structure
within the peritoneal cavity and content blood vessels, lymph nodes, nerves, and fat.

- Mesentery: peritoneal fold that suspends the small and large bowel from the posterior
peritoneal wall.

• Small Bowel mesentery: it attaches the small bowel to the retroperitoneum

and extends from the ligament of Treitz to the ileocecal valve. It contains the
superior mesenteric vessels and their branches. It has an oblique position,
from top to bottom and from left to right. Fig. 1 on page 6 Fig. 2 on page
6 Fig. 3 on page 7
• Transverse colon mesentery or transverse mesocolon: a peritoneal
fold that attaches the transverse colon to the retroperitoneum edge of the
pancreas. The mesocolon forms the posteroinferior border of the lesser
sac and contains the middle colic vessels. Fig. 1 on page 6 Fig. 2 on
page 6 Fig. 3 on page 7 . It divides the peritoneal cavity in two great
compartments:

- Supermesocolic compartment.
- Inframesocolic compartment.

• Sigmoid mesocolon: it is a peritoneal ligament that attaches the sigmoid

colon to the posterior pelvic wall and contains the hemorrhoidal and sigmoid
vessels. Fig. 2 on page 6 Fig. 3 on page 7

- Omentum: mesentery or double layer of peritoneum that extends from the stomach
and duodenal bulb to adjacent organs. The lesser and greater omenta extend from the
lesser and greater curvatures of the stomach respectively. Fig. 2 on page 6 Fig. 3
on page 7

Page 3 of 22
 • The lesser omentum is the double layer of peritoneum that extends
from the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach and the first part
of the duodenum. It is made of two contiguous components called the
gastrohepatic and hepatoduodenal ligaments:

1. The gastrohepatic ligament connects the liver to the lesser curvature of the
stomach. It contains the gastric arteries and veins.
2. The hepatoduodenal ligament connects the liver to the first part of the
duodenum and contains the portal vein, the hepatic artery and the common
bile duct.

• The greater omentum is attached to the stomach and hangs like an apron
from the transverse colon and is usually located anterior to the small bowel.
It is made of three components called the gastrocolic, gastrosplenic and
gastrophrenic ligaments. The portion of the greater omentum that hangs
from the transverse colon becomes redundant and its two layers fuse with
one another so the inferior recess of the lesser sac is obliterated, and is
therefore composed of four layers of peritoneum.

- Ligament: it supports an organ within the peritoneal cavity or connects two organs. It
is named according to the structures it connects.

Peritoneal spaces.

Although the peritoneal cavity is unique, it consists of several communicating spaces.

The peritoneal cavity can be divided into the greater and lesser peritoneal sacs.

• The greater sac constitutes the majority of the peritoneal cavity.

• The lesser sac, also known as the omental bursa, is smaller and lies
posterior to the stomach and lesser omentum.

Transverse mesocolon divides the peritoneal cavity into supramesocolic and

inframesocolic compartments.

- The supramesocolic compartment lies above the transverse mesocolon and includes:

• Right and left subphrenic spaces, separated by the falciform ligament.

The falciform ligament attaches the ventral surface of the liver to the anterior
abdominal wall and contains the obliterated umbilical vein (ligamentum
teres). Fig. 4 on page 8

• Right perihepatic space is contiguous to the right subphrenic space and

surrounds the liver on the right to falciform ligament. The left perihepatic

Page 4 of 22
 space is contiguous to the left subphrenic space and surrounds the liver on
the left to falciform ligament. Fig. 5 on page 9

• Right and left subhepatic spaces. The right subhepatic space is so-called
the Morison pouch or hepatorenal fossa. The bare area of the liver is devoid
of peritoneum and lies between the reflections of the peritoneum at right and
left coronary ligaments. This bare area is continuous with the right anterior
pararenal space. Fig. 6 on page 10 Fig. 7 on page 10

• Perisplenic space: It is contiguous to left subphrenic space and surrounds

the spleen. It is bounded inferiorly by the phrenocolic ligament, which serves
to support the spleen and attaches the left flexure of the colon to the left
hemidiaphragm, and it separates, but not completely, the left subphrenic
space from the left paracolic gutter. Fig. 5 on page 9 Fig. 6 on page
10 Fig. 8 on page 12

• Lesser sac: the lesser sac is embryologically formed from an infolding of

the greater omentum. It is located posterior to the stomach and the greater
omentum and communicates with the remainder of the peritoneal spaces
through the omental foramen (foramen of Winslow). It is surrounded by the
liver, lesser omentum, stomach, transverse mesocolon, greater omentum
(gastrocolic ligament) and gastrosplenic ligament Fig. 9 on page 12 Fig.
10 on page 15 . It contains three recesses Fig. 11 on page 13 Fig. 12
on page 14 :

• • Superior recess, which surrounds the medial aspect of the caudate

lobe.
• Splenic recess. It extends across the midline to the splenic hilum.
• Inferior recess, which separates the stomach from the pancreas and
transverse mesocolon.

- The inframesocolic compartment lies below the transverse mesocolon and includes:

• Right paracolic gutter: peritoneal recess on the posterior abdominal wall

lying alongside the ascending colon. It is lateral to the ascending colon and
continuous with the right perihepatic space Fig. 13 on page 16 .

• Left paracolic gutter: peritoneal recess on the posterior abdominal wall

lying alongside the descending colon. It is lateral to the descending colon
Fig. 13 on page 16 . Gutters depth is highly variable Fig. 14 on page
17 . The phrenicocolic ligament is a relative but incomplete impediment
to the spread of pathologic processes from the left paracolic gutter to the left
subphrenic space Fig. 15 on page 17 . Both the right and left paracolic
gutters communicate with the pelvic space. These gutters are clinically
important because they allow a passage for infectious fluids or blood from
different compartments of the abdomen.

Page 5 of 22
 • Abdominal central space: it is located caudal to the transverse mesocolon
and between ascending and descending colon .It contains the small bowel
and communicates with the pelvic space. Fig. 16 on page 18 .

• Pelvic cavity. It is the most gravity-dependent site for fluid accumulation. In

men it is the rectovesical space, and in women it is the rectouterine space,
so called the pouch of Douglas. Both gutters and the abdominal central
space communicates with the pelvic space Fig. 17 on page 19 Fig. 18 on
page 19 .

Images for this section:

Fig. 1: CT Peritoneography. Coronal views. Transverse mesocolon and small bowel

mesentery.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 6 of 22
Fig. 2: CT Peritoneography. Sagital view. Transverse mesocolon, small bowel mesentery
and sigmoid mesocolon. Greater omentum and lesser omentum. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver,
TrColon-Transverse colon, Sig-Sigmoid.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 7 of 22
Fig. 3: CT Peritoneography. Sagital view. Transverse mesocolon, small bowel mesentery
and sigmoid mesocolon. Greater omentum and lesser omentum. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver,
TrColon-Transverse colon, Sig-Sigmoid.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 8 of 22
Fig. 4: CT Peritoneography. Axial and coronal views. Right and left subphrenic spaces,
separated by the falciform ligament. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, TrColon-Transverse colon.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 9 of 22
Fig. 5: CT Peritoneography. Axial view. Right and left perihepatic spaces, separated by
the falciform ligament, and the perisplenic space. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, Spl-Spleen.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Fig. 6: CT Peritoneography. Axial views. Right perihepatic and subhepatic spaces.

Perisplenic space. The bare area of the liver is devoid of peritoneum and lies between
the reflections of the peritoneum at right and left coronary ligaments. Sto-Stomach, Liv-
Liver, Spl-Spleen.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 10 of 22
Page 11 of 22
Fig. 7: CT Peritoneography. Sagital view. The bare area of the liver is devoid of
peritoneum. This bare area is continuous with the right anterior pararenal space. Liv-
Liver, RKid-Right Kidney.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Fig. 8: CT Peritoneography. Coronal view. The right subphrenic space communicates

with the rigt perihepatic and subhepatic spaces. The left subphrenic space communicates
with perisplenic space. The phrenocolic ligament separates, but not completely, the left
subphrenic space from the left paracolic gutter. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, Spl-Spleen.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 12 of 22
Fig. 9: CT Peritoneography. Coronal and axial views. Lesser sac. It is surrounded by the
liver, lesser omentum, stomach, transverse mesocolon, greater omentum (gastrocolic
ligament) and gastrosplenic ligament. It contains three recesses: superior, inferior and
splenic recess. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, Spl-Spleen, Pan-Pancreas.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 13 of 22
Fig. 11: CT Peritoneography. Axial views from craneal (A) to caudal (D). Lesser sac (red
dot). The superior recess surrounds the medial aspect of the caudate lobe. The inferior
recess separates the stomach from the pancreas and transverse mesocolon. The splenic
recess extends across the midline to the splenic hilum.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 14 of 22
Fig. 12: CT Peritoneography. Coronal views from anterior(A) to posterior (D). Lesser sac
(red dot). It is surrounded by the liver, lesser omentum, stomach, transverse mesocolon,
greater omentum (gastrocolic ligament) and gastrosplenic ligament. The mesocolon
forms the inferior border of the lesser sac. The splenic recess extends across the midline
towards the splenic hilum. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, TrCol-Transverse Colon, Spl-Spleen.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 15 of 22
Fig. 10: CT Peritoneography. Sagital view. Lesser sac (red dot). It is surrounded by the
liver, lesser omentum, stomach, transverse mesocolon, greater omentum (gastrocolic
ligament) and gastrosplenic ligament. The mesocolon forms the inferior border of the
lesser sac. Sto-Stomach, Liv-Liver, TrCol-Transverse Colon.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 16 of 22
Fig. 13: CT Peritoneography. Axial and sagital views. Right and left gutters extend
alongside the ascending and descending colon respectively. Both paracolic gutters
communicate with the pelvic space. Col-Colon.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Fig. 14: CT Peritoneography. Axial views. Gutters depth is highly variable. Col-Colon.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 17 of 22
Fig. 15: CT Peritoneography. Axial and coronal views. The right perihepatic space is
continuous with the right paracolic gutter and the pelvic space. The phrenocolic ligament
separates, but not completely, the left subphrenic space from the left paracolic gutter.
Col-Colon, Spl-Spleen.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 18 of 22
Fig. 16: CT Peritoneography. Axial and coronal views. The abdominal central space
(blue dot) is located caudal to the transverse mesocolon and between ascending and
descending colon. It contains the small bowel and communicates with the pelvic space.
Col-Colon, Bla-Bladder.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Fig. 17: CT Peritoneography. Coronal and axial views. The pelvic space (green dot) is
the most gravity-dependent site of the peritoneal cavity. Both the right and left paracolic
gutters communicate with the pelvic space. Col-Colon, Bla-Bladder.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 19 of 22
Fig. 18: CT Peritoneography. Axial and coronal views. Pelvic space (green dot). The
rectovesical recess, in male patients, and the rectouterine recess (the pouch of Douglas),
in female patients, are the most gravity-dependent sites for fluid accumulation. Bla-
Bladder, Rec-Rectum.

© Department of Radiology. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. Oviedo/ES

Page 20 of 22
Conclusion

- CT Peritoneography, because of its excellent tissue characterization and multiplanar

abilities, is a powerful tool for anatomic delineation of the peritoneal cavity.

- Knowledge of the peritoneal spaces, ligaments and mesenteries are crucial for the
understanding of the anatomy of the peritoneal cavity.

Personal information

Deparment of Radiology.

Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias.

Oviedo. Spain.

juan.calvobla@gmail.com

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