Abdominal MRI after enteroclysis or with oral contrast in patients with suspected or proven Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Diagnostic results of magnetic resonance (MR) enteroclysis correlate highly with those from conventional enteroclysis; nevertheless, intubation of the patient and positioning of an intestinal tube is still necessary for the examination, which is often remembered as the most embarrassing part of the examination by the patient. A more comfortable and highly sensitive examination of the small bowel therefore would increase patient acceptance for recurring examinations, which are often necessary, for example, in patients with Crohn's disease. This study evaluates the diagnostic efficacy of abdominal MR imaging (MRI) of the small bowel after drinking contrast agent only compared with conventional enteroclysis and abdominal MRI performed after enteroclysis in patients with suspected or proven Crohn's disease.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with Crohn's disease referred for conventional enteroclysis underwent abdominal MRI after enteroclysis. Additionally, 1 to 3 days before or after these examinations, abdominal MRI was performed using only orally administered contrast. All MRI examinations were performed using a 1.5T scanner.


RESULTS
All pathological findings on conventional enteroclysis were shown correctly with MRI after enteroclysis and MRI after oral contrast only. Additional information by MRI was obtained in 6 of 21 patients. No statistically significant differences were found in assessing the diagnostic efficacy of the 3 examinations.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal MRI with oral contrast only can be used as a diagnostic tool for evaluation of the small bowel in patients with Crohn's disease and has the potential to replace conventional enteroclysis as follow-up.
Schreyer
Andreas G
AG
Department of Radiology, University of Regensburg, Germany.
Geissler
Angela
A
Albrich
Helga
H
Schölmerich
Jürgen
J
Feuerbach
Stefan
S
Rogler
Gerhard
G
Völk
Markus
M
Herfarth
Hans
H
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001466:Barium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D004733:Enema; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA