Mesenteric ischemia occurs when atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, happens in the blood vessels which lead to the intestines. Mesenteric ischemia generally occurs in patients who already have fairly extensive peripheral vascular disease and atherosclerosis. These patients almost always have a history of smoking, and often have had problems with atherosclerosis in the past (heart attacks, claudication, etc).

Because there is narrowing of the blood vessels leading to the intestines, people with mesenteric ischemia often have severe abdominal pain after eating. This is because after eating, the intestine requires more blood to digest food, and the narrowed arteries cannot supply the blood needed to the intestines, resulting in pain. Because of the pain, these patients often start eating less, and can come to the attention of a physician after a considerable weight loss.

Your doctor will take your medical history and perform a physical exam to diagnose MAI. Imaging tools can confirm a narrowing of one or more mesenteric arteries. These include:

CT scans: X-rays that produce cross-sectional images of body structures and organs

ultrasound: a sonogram that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of body organs

MRI: magnet and radio waves that look at body organs

MRA: magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is an MRI exam of the blood vessels

arteriogram: a procedure that uses X-rays and a special dye to look at the inside of blood vessels