The accordion sign at CT: report of a case of Crohn's disease with diffuse colonic involvement

The accordion sign is a finding that could be seen on CT scans of the abdomen in patients who have received oral contrast material. Initially, it was described as a sign specific of Clostridium difficile colitis, but it is also reported to represent a sign of diffuse colonic edema of several other etiologies. We report a case of a patient with Crohn's pancolitis whose abdominal CT scan presented the accordion sign throughout the entire large bowel together with signs of Crohn's disease of the small bowel.