[Follow up of Crohn's disease under therapy with hydro-MRI].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of typical MRI-findings in patients with Crohn's disease receiving therapy. Correlation with the course of disease.


METHODS
81 follow-up MRI-studies in 25 patients conducted within a period of 3 weeks to 4 years were evaluated retrospectively. Therapy consisted in various combinations of antibiotics and immunosuppressive agents and if necessary operation. The findings of the MRI-studies were correlated with clinical data (e.g.operation of Crohn's complications) and the subjective perception during therapy.


RESULTS
The morphological substrate of Crohn's disease in the Hydro-MRI images is reliably detected. Especially in a delineation of extraluminal changes MRI is superior to endoscopy and enteroclysis. Independent from clinical symptoms short- and mid-term follow-up showed inflammatory changes of the intestinal wall in all 25 patients. In 24/81 studies there was persistence or even progression of Crohn's disease in the MRI-studies, although patients were free of symptoms by the time of image acquisition.


CONCLUSIONS
Hydro-MRI is a modality for the evaluation of inflammatory changes in patients with Crohn's disease. Independent from clinical symptoms persistence of Crohn's disease is detectable.
Ganten
M
M
Abt.Radiodiagnostik, Radiologische Uniklinik Heidelberg.
Encke
J
J
Flosdorff
P
P
Grüber-Hoffmann
B
B
Erb
G
G
Hansmann
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004733:Enema; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003524:Cyclosporins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013449:Sulfonamides; D008795:Metronidazole; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate