Objective: Hepatodiaphragmatic interposition of the colon (HDIC) has been previously evaluated with chest radiography (CR) of patients examined in an erect position. In this work the presence of HDIC was assessed in patients who underwent CT in the supine position.
Materials and methods: In 1,440 patients, 806 men and 634 women, 19-83 years old subjected to CR and abdominal CT for various indications, HDIC was retrospectively evaluated.
Results: In 2.4% of the patients HDIC was found using CT in the supine position but in only 0.3% on CR. The variation appeared more frequently in men than in women and in older adults and individuals with an increased amount of intraabdominal fat. This latter finding may represent an additional factor favoring malposition of the colon.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that HDIC has a significantly greater incidence in the supine position of patients, and it can not be excluded on the basis of negative CR.