Ultrasound scanning may reduce the need for barium radiology in the assessment of small-bowel Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Bowel wall thickening on transabdominal ultrasound scanning (USS) correlates well with Crohn's disease (CD) activity. However, the role of USS in the assessment of CD has not been fully defined. This study compared USS and barium follow-through (BaFT) in the assessment of CD.


METHODS
A retrospective case series was undertaken of 24 children with CD who underwent USS and BaFT during the same period of clinical disease activity.


RESULTS
For terminal ileum abnormality, all 13 cases with abnormal USS had abnormality on BaFT. USS did not detect five cases with affected terminal ileum and two cases with isolated proximal small-bowel CD.


CONCLUSIONS
BaFT is a more sensitive indicator of small-bowel CD than USS. USS has good positive predictive value of distal small-bowel CD, but BaFT should be performed in the presence of a normal USS where there is strong clinical evidence of CD.
Bremner
A R
AR
Division of Infection, Inflammation and Repair, Southampton University School of Medicine, Southampton, UK.
Pridgeon
J
J
Fairhurst
J
J
Beattie
R M
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate