Findings at helical CT-enteroclysis in symptomatic patients with crohn disease: correlation with endoscopic and surgical findings.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to assess the diagnostic potential of helical CT-enteroclysis (HCTE) and to correlate our findings to endoscopic and surgical results.


METHODS
Twenty-eight consecutive patients suffering from histologic proven Crohn disease underwent HCTE and endoscopy within 4 weeks. HCTE findings were read by two observers in consensus and compared with endoscopic and surgical results.


RESULTS
Morphological signs of an acute or recurrent bowel inflammation were found in 25 of 28 (89%) patients. HCTE demonstrated accurately all mural and extramural changes of the inflamed bowel walls. Moreover, in 18 of 25 (72%) patients, HCTE depicted additional pathologic changes such as fistulas, abscesses, and skip lesions, all of which could not be visualized by endoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
HCTE is an accurate technique to detect mural and extramural abnormalities in patients with Crohn disease. HCTE should be considered as a complementary imaging method to endoscopy, and should be the first imaging method especially when Crohn-associated complications are suspected.
Turetschek
Karl
K
Department of Radiology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Viena, Viena, Australia. Karl.Turetschek@univie.ac.at
Schober
Ewald
E
Wunderbaldinger
Patrick
P
Bernhard
Christoph
C
Schima
Wolfgang
W
Puespoek
Andreas
A
Vogelsang
Harald
H
Moeschl
Peter
P
Mostbeck
Gerhard
G
D000328:Adult; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D008297:Male; D008747:Methylcellulose; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D002086:Butylscopolammonium Bromide; D008747:Methylcellulose