title: Magnetic resonance enterocolonography is useful for simultaneous evaluation of small and large intestinal lesions in Crohn's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We developed novel magnetic resonance enterocolonography (MREC) for simultaneously evaluating both small and large bowel lesions in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of MREC by comparing results of this procedure to those of endoscopies for evaluating the small and large bowel lesions of patients with CD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with established CD were prospectively examined by newly developed MREC. Patients underwent ileocolonoscopy (ICS) (24 procedures) or double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) (10 procedures) after MREC on the same day. Two gastroenterologists and two radiologists who were blinded to the results of another study evaluated endoscopy and MREC findings, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In colonic lesions the sensitivities of the MREC for deep mucosal lesions (DML), all CD lesions, and stenosis were 88.2, 61.8, and 71.4%, respectively, while the specificities were 98.1, 95.3, and 97.7%, respectively. In small intestinal lesions, MREC sensitivities for DML, all CD lesions, and stenosis were 100, 85.7, and 100%, respectively, while specificities were 100, 90.5, and 93.1%, respectively. Endoscopic scores were significantly correlated with MREC scores. Eleven (46%) of the 24 patients who were clinically not suspected to show stricture were observed to demonstrate stricture by radiologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrated that MREC can simultaneously detect the CD lesions of the small and large intestine. MREC can be performed without radiation exposure, the use of enema, or the placement of a naso-jejunal catheter. MREC and endoscopy have comparable abilities for evaluating mucosal lesions of patients with CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Sea Bong
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitazume
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagahori
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toriihara
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Kiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naganuma
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000473:pathology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000473:pathology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult