Papers of the Week

Dunbar syndrome also known as median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) or celiac artery compression syndrome (CACS) is a rare syndrome resulting from the external compression of the celiac trunk from the median arcuate ligament. A 78-year-old female with multiple chronic conditions presented with intermittent, post-prandial epigastric pain associated with early satiety, decreased appetite for òne year. Multiple tests including gastric emptying scan and hepatobiliary scan with cholecystokinin (CCK) were normal. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) abdomen/pelvis showed thickening of a median arcuate ligament. Further imaging with end-inspiratory phase computed tomography (CT) angiography of the abdomen and 3D reconstruction of images, revealed approximately 1 cm length segment of proximal celiac arterial narrowing, measuring 70% maximally (at its origin) and characteristic hooked appearance of the proximal celiac artery with post-stenotic dilation diagnostic of MALS. Our case report emphasizes the importance of MALS in the differential diagnosis of chronic, intermittent abdominal pain.