Ultrasound scanning.
Inflammatory or neoplastic bowel pathology is associated with thickening of the bowel wall. Ultrasound appearances reflect the pathological changes in the bowel. Crohn's disease is a transluminal disease leading to fibrosis. This fibrosis is responsible for the formation of an echo-poor halo surrounding a central echogenic zone. In the earlier stages with transmural oedema and inflammation, the halo assumes a ground glass appearance. Ulcerative colitis is a mucosal disease and hence the halo is a less prominent feature. Severe oedema in the bowel wall in fulminant ulcerative colitis can be recognized by the marked reduction of the haustral and central lumen of the colon.
Joseph
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AE
Dept. of Radiology, St. George's Hospital and Medical School, London, UK.
D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography