Magnetic resonance enterography and bowel ultrasonography in Saudi Arabian patients with Crohn's disease

Abstract

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a complex autoimmune disease that results in chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. CD activity is determined through clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and radiological evaluations. Studies that examine the data of radiological modalities of evaluation are lacking, particularly in Saudi Arabia. This study compares magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and ultrasonography (US) findings among patients diagnosed with CD, to uncover a possible correlation between these techniques. Methods: All patients were assessed for disease activity using MRE and US. Results: A total of 376 patients with CD were recruited. The mean age was 14.9 ± 4.3 years (range, 8–27 years), and males constituted 64% (n = 239) of the cohort. Overall, a strong positive correlation was found between US and MRE evaluations of disease activity ( r = 0.83, P < 0.001). US activity correlated positively with MRE findings of enlarged lymph nodes ( P < 0.001), bowel wall enhancement ( P < 0.001), distal jejunal thickness ( P < 0.001), and distal ileal thickness ( P < 0.001). The mean difference in wall thickness was significant based on gender ( P < 0.001), age in proximal jejunal thickness ( P < 0.001), and distal ileal thickness ( P = 0.011). Conclusions: MRE and US correlate significantly as imaging techniques for the assessment of CD activity.

The great wall of inflammatory bowel disease

“…Using a validated scoring system for MRE and a simple definition of ultrasonic evidence of disease activity, the authors demonstrate good correlation between the two modalities. [ 4 ] IUS appeared to have limited utility in the assessment of proximal small bowel disease, in keeping with a previous systematic review of the role of US in CD. [ 5 ] Areas of uncertainty in using IUS in CD remain to be explored, including the role in diagnosis, assessment of complications such as penetrating diseases and presence of abscess, and predicting postoperative recurrence.…”

Novelties and Perspectives of Intestinal Ultrasound in the Personalised Management of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases—A Systematic Review

“…It can be conducted in various conditions, being unaffected by the gaseous contents of the bowel [113]. A series of studies have demonstrated divergent results regarding the correlation between MRE and IUS regarding disease activity assessment [30,[114][115][116].…”