Linitis Plastica

Linitis plastica is a form of gastric narrowing caused by chronic inflammation, infection, or trauma, but is most often directly associated with malignancy. Infiltrating gastric carcinomas cause wall thickening, luminal narrowing, and loss of pliability secondary to wide-spread invasion of the mucosa and muscle. These changes result in a characteristic radiographic appearance of what has been described as a “leather bottle” stomach. Although most commonly associated with primary gastric tumors, linitis plastica may also be due to gastric involvement by metastatic disease — most notably, breast cancer.

Radiographic Findings:

• UGIS demonstrates luminal narrowing, wall thickening, and rigidity.

• Rugal fold effacement.

• Mucosal nodularity or ulceration.

• CT may show uniform, nonspecific wall thickening (10-15mm) with loss of rugal folds.