title: Comparison of magnetic resonance enterography with endoscopy, histopathology, and laboratory evaluation in pediatric Crohn disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children with Crohn disease (CD) often undergo cross-sectional imaging during clinical evaluation. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is becoming the preferred radiologic assessment due to the lack of radiation exposure; however, there are few data in children with CD comparing MRE with objective disease measures. The aim of the present study was to compare MRE with endoscopy, histopathology, and laboratory evaluation in children with CD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an institutional review board-approved query of our prospective CD MRE database, which includes data in children with CD undergoing MRE since 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 147 MRE studies were performed in 119 different children with symptomatic CD. Of those, 53 (39.6%) MRE studies were performed at diagnosis to evaluate small bowel disease burden. A total of 117 (79.6%) MRE studies displayed active and/or chronic disease, whereas 30 (20.4%) MRE studies were normal. When compared with normal MRE studies, active inflammation on MRE was associated with a higher mean C-reactive protein (3.6 vs 1.1, P < 0.001), higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (36 vs 22, P = 0.0.31), higher platelet value (439 vs 352, P = 0.033), and lower albumin (3.4 vs 3.7, P = 0.049). Comparison between MRE and endoscopy demonstrated excellent agreement when ulcers were present, and moderate agreement with histopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active inflammation on MRE is associated with higher C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelets, and lower albumin in children with CD. MRE displays excellent agreement with endoscopic disease described by ulcers but poor agreement with mild mucosal disease described by erythema and friability. The present study adds to a growing body of evidence that MRE provides excellent assessment of inflammation and measures disease activity in CD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. csauer@emory.edu
authors.forename: Cary G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alazraki
authors.forename: Unni K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Udayasankar
authors.forename: Bobby
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalb
authors.forename: Kimberly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.forename: Diego R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Subra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kugathasan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014456:Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein