Epiploic appendagitis is a self-limiting condition caused by inflammation or torsion of the epiploic appendages, small, fat-filled pouches that hang from the outer surface of the colon. It causes acute, localized abdominal pain that can closely mimic appendicitis or diverticulitis. On ultrasound, epiploic appendagitis appears as a small, oval, hyperechoic, non-compressible mass adjacent to the colon, often with a surrounding hypoechoic rim of inflammation. Recognizing this condition on ultrasound is valuable because it is treated conservatively with pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs, avoiding the unnecessary surgery that might occur if it is misdiagnosed as appendicitis or complicated diverticulitis.
Sonography Term