title: Asymptomatic brain finding results on MRI in a patient with Crohn's disease: a case report.
abstract: The association of inflammatory bowel disease with neurological involvement is unusual and often controversial. We report the case of a 39-year old man with Crohn's disease and an intracranial benign primary tumor, detected on MRI scan. The patient had been suffering from extensive perianal fistulas for 8 years, before inflammatory bowel disease was diagnosed six months ago. The patient, being enrolled in a research protocol, underwent brain MRI examination. Despite the absence of neurological symptoms and electromyography abnormalities, a meningioma was evidenced. Whether this is an incidental finding on brain MRI or whether it might be linked to Crohn's disease development as an extraintestinal, neurological disorder remains unclear. This information is especially important in view of the ethical and practical issues involved in the management of incidental findings in CD. This report might provide further confirmation of the hypothesis that central neurological disorders occur during CD.
authors.affiliation: Endoscopy Unit, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kouklakis
authors.forename: Asimenia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babali
authors.forename: Anthia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gatopoulou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lirantzopoulos
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Efremidou
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vathikolias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008579:Meningioma / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000209:etiology