[Hydro-MRT with fast sequences in Crohn's disease: a comparison with fractionated gastrointestinal passage].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the value of hydro-MRI with that of barium studies in patients with Crohn's disease.


METHODS
After an oral bowel opacification using 1000 ml of a 2.5% mannitol solution, axial and coronal breath-hold sequences (T2W HASTE +/- FS, contrast-enhanced T1W FLASH FS) were acquired in 46 patients with Crohn's disease at 1.0 T. The findings of hydro-MRI were compared with those of barium studies.


RESULTS
In the stomach and the small bowel, hydro-MRI and barium studies demonstrated similar numbers of Crohn's involvements (39 vs. 36); in the colon, hydro-MRI showed clearly more affections (23 vs. 10). Hydro-MRI showed 12.7 cm of inflamed bowel per patient, on average (barium studies: 10.4 cm; p = 0.004). There was a good agreement between the two methods regarding the assessment of the extent of Crohn's disease and the severity of bowel stenoses (r = 0.89 and 0.88, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
For the assessment of Crohn's disease, hydro-MRI is preferable to the barium study because of the superior imaging quality and the lack of radiation exposure.
Schunk
K
K
Klinik und Poliklinik für Radiologie, Klinikum der Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. schunk@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Kern
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Heussel
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Kalden
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Orth
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Wanitschke
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Thelen
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D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001466:Barium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA