title: Role of Bowel Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Patients with Crohn's Disease.
abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory chronic bowel disorder; it can involve the whole gastrointestinal tract, but its localization in the ileum or colon is most common. The reference standard for the diagnosis of CD is ileocolonoscopy with histologic assessment. The reference standard for the detection of any complications is surgery. However, imaging techniques have an important role both in the detection/localization of CD and in the follow-up of CD patients. In the last few years, the technical development of ultrasound equipment, the advent of new technologies such as elastography and mostly the increased expertise of sonographers have boosted the role of bowel ultrasound in assessment of the gastrointestinal tract. In fact, bowel ultrasound is particularly attractive thanks to its widespread availability, non-invasiveness, low cost and good reproducibility, as it can be easily repeated during follow-up. The aim of this article is to provide an extensive overview of the actual role of bowel ultrasound in the detection and follow-up of patients with CD.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; and Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Clara Benedetta
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; and Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giunta
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; and Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gridavilla
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; and Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; and Department of Pathophysiology and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: Mfraquelli@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraquelli
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Bowel ultrasound; Contrast-enhanced ultrasound; Crohn's disease; Elastography; Imaging techniques; Inflammatory bowel disease