The management of patients with IBD requires evaluation with objective tools, both at the time of diagnosis and throughout the course of the disease, to determine the location, extension, activity and severity of inflammatory lesions, as well as, the potential existence of complications. Whereas endoscopy is a well-established and uniformly performed diagnostic examination, the implementation of radiologic techniques for assessment of IBD is still heterogeneous; variations in technical aspects and the degrees of experience and preferences exist across countries in Europe. ECCO and ESGAR scientific societies jointly elaborated a consensus to establish standards for imaging in IBD using magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, ultrasonography, and including also other radiologic procedures such as conventional radiology or nuclear medicine examinations for different clinical situations that include general principles, upper GI tract, colon and rectum, perineum, liver and biliary tract, emergency situation, and the postoperative setting. The statements and general recommendations of this consensus are based on the highest level of evidence available, but significant gaps remain in certain areas such as the comparison of diagnostic accuracy between different techniques, the value for therapeutic monitoring, and the prognostic implications of particular findings.

IRB 00006477.

Accurate differentiation of FNH from HA and LA is achievable on delayed T1-weighted GRE images after administration of gadobenate dimeglumine.

Gd-BOPTA during both dynamic and delayed phases provides morphologic and functional information for the characterization of FNH.

Abstract. Balloon angioplasty (PTA) is an established treatment modality for stenosis in dysfunctional arteriovenous fistulae (AVF), although most studies showing efficacy have been retrospective, uncontrolled, and nonrandomized. In addition, it is unknown whether correction of stenosis not associated with significant hemodynamic, functional, and clinical abnormality may improve survival in AVF. This study was a prospective controlled open trial to evaluate whether prophylactic PTA of stenosis not associated with access dysfunction improves survival in native, virgin, radiocephalic forearm AVF. Sixty-two stenotic, functioning AVF, i.e., able to provide adequate dialysis, were enrolled in the study: 30 were allocated to control and 32 to PTA. End points of the study were either AVF thrombosis or surgical revision due to reduction in delivered dialysis dose. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that PTA improved AVF functional failure-free survival rates (P ϭ 0.012) with a fourfold increase in median survival and a 2.87-fold decrease in risk of failure. Cox proportional hazard model identified PTA as the only variable associated with outcome (P ϭ 0.012). PTA induced an increase in access blood flow rate (Qa) by 323 (236 to 445) ml/min (P Ͻ 0.001), suggesting that improved AVF survival is the result of increased Qa. PTA was also associated with a significant decrease in access-related morbidity by approximately halving the risk of hospitalization, central venous catheterization, and thrombectomy (P Ͻ 0.05). This study shows that prophylactic PTA of stenosis in functioning forearm AVF improves access survival and decreases access-related morbidity, supporting the usefulness of preventive correction of stenosis before the development of access dysfunction. It also strongly supports surveillance program for early detection of stenosis.