To investigate the features of imaging findings of internal adhesion band abdominal hernia (ABAH), in order to improve the understanding and the early diagnosis efficacy of ABAH before operation.

Retrospective analysis of clinical data and imaging findings were performed among 21 patients (10 males and 11 females with the age ranging from 4 to 81 years old) with ABAH proved by surgery from January 2001 to March 2017. All cases underwent multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scan, including 3 casesofmultiphase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scan and 15 casesabdominal plain film. The images were reviewed independently by two expert radiologistswith double-blind method.

Intestinal obstructionoccurred in all the 21 patients with CT examination, included strangulated intestine obstruction (n=5) and ABAH (n=3) before operation, 3 cases (14.29%) were correctly diagnosed and 18 cases (85.71%) were misdiagnosed before operation. All of 21 cases were confirmed ABAH and intestinal obstruction, included intestinal twist (n=11), intestinal strangulation obstruction (n=9), and abdominal cocoon (n=1) after operation. CT findings of ABAH were significantly characterized by obvious local adhesion band formation and were correlated with results of operation, other imaging signs of ABAH included bowel obstruction (100%), ectopic bowel (100%), sign of space occupying (100%), stretched, engorged, and twisted mesenteric vessels (n=17, 80.95%), beak sign of bowel loops wereclustered and twisted (n=13,61.90%), and bowel wall thickening with obvious exudation around in 15 cases (71.43%). Butsign of space occupying was relatively less degree than other abdominal hernia.

Early diagnosis of ABAH is difficult before operation in clinic, but it isincreasingly significant. CT examination with certain characteristic findings is of significant importancefor early diagnosis, Misdiagnosis of ABAH mainly due to insufficient disease awareness and lack of relevant knowledge.