Can peritoneal carcinomatosis cause ascites?

Hi,

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The CT (Computed tomography) abdomen scan images are reviewed (attachment removed to protect patient identity), and I would like to make the following comments.

• There is no large mass in the abdominal cavity.
• There is minimal fluid in the pelvis and also likely in the right anterior lower abdomen.
• There is no apparent peritoneal thickening.
• There is decreased fat content in the abdominal cavity, and the bowel loops are abutting each other. This makes a detailed evaluation of the bowel wall difficult.
• The stomach is partially contracted.
• There is no bowel obstruction.
• The urinary bladder is partially contracted.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a crucial diagnosis, and I wish to know why you are enquiring about it and getting treatment for any medical conditions.

Please use the free follow-up to reply and ask another query.

Regards.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Thanks for writing in to us.

I hope you are not in discomfort.

Ascites is a fluid collection in the abdominal cavity due to a reactive inflammation, causing abnormal retention of fluid. It can be from many causes, and most of the time, it is due to inflammation or infection, and not every case of ascites is cancer. The origin of the fluid is by leaking through blood vessels as a result of any inflammation. You have minimal ascites in the pelvis and no direct evidence of any mass in the images, and so you need to get a clinical evaluation to know the cause. There is no apparent colorectal mass that is visualized, and there is a fecal loaded large bowel. I notice that your abdomen's fat content is less, causing some difficulty in looking at the bowel walls. If you are having large bowel symptoms, then a colonoscopy is suggested to have a detailed look.

Regards.