MR enterography of ileocolovesicular fistula in pediatric Crohn disease

Perianal Crohn Disease in a Large Multicenter Pediatric Collaborative

BACKGROUND

Although perianal complications of Crohn disease (CD) are commonly encountered in clinical practice, the epidemiology of perianal CD among populations of children is poorly understood. We sought to characterize the prevalence of perianal disease in a large and diverse population of pediatric patients with CD.

METHODS

We conducted retrospective analyses from a prospective observational cohort, the ImproveCareNow Network (May 2006-October 2014), a multicenter pediatric inflammatory bowel disease quality improvement collaborative. Clinicians prospectively documented physical examination and phenotype classification at outpatient visits. Perianal examination findings and concomitant phenotype change were used to corroborate time of new-onset perianal disease. Results were stratified by age, sex, and race and compared across groups with logistic regression. Cumulative incidence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analyses and compared between groups with Cox proportional hazard regression models.

RESULTS

The registry included 7076 patients with CD (41% girls). Missing/conflicting entries resulted in 397 (6%) patient exclusions. Among the remaining 6679 cases, 1399 (21%) developed perianal disease. Perianal disease was more common among boys (22%) than girls (20%; P = 0.013) and developed sooner after diagnosis among those with later rather than early onset disease (P < 0.001). Perianal disease was also more common among blacks (26%) compared with whites (20%; P = 0.017). Asians with later onset CD developed perianal disease earlier in their disease course (P = 0.01). There was no association between disease location or nutritional status at diagnosis and later development of perianal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large multicenter collaborative, we found that perianal disease is more common among children with CD than previously recognized. Differences in the development of perianal disease were found across racial and other subgroups. Treatment strategies are needed to prevent perianal disease development.

Pediatric MR enterography: technique and approach to interpretation-how we do it

Magnetic resonance (MR) enterography is an increasingly important pediatric imaging modality that is most often used to evaluate inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD inflammatory bowel disease ), while sparing children and adolescents from potential risks of ionizing radiation exposure. MR enterography allows for evaluation of the bowel lumen and wall, adjacent mesentery and soft tissues, as well as a variety of extraintestinal abdominopelvic IBD inflammatory bowel disease manifestations. While MR enterography can be used to initially confirm the diagnosis of IBD inflammatory bowel disease , particularly small bowel Crohn disease, it has also proven useful in assessing the degree inflammatory activity over time, serving as a radiologic biomarker for response to medical therapy, and identifying a variety of disease-related complications, including strictures, fistulae, and abscesses. The purpose of this review article is to provide radiologists with a systematic approach for MR enterography review and interpretation in children and adolescents with known or suspected of having IBD inflammatory bowel disease and to illustrate both common and infrequent but important imaging findings. Additionally, the authors will present their well-established and clinically successful pediatric MR enterography protocol, up-to-date clinical indications for MR enterography, and briefly mention the role of MR enterography in assessing non- IBD inflammatory bowel disease abnormalities affecting the bowel. Online supplemental material is available for this article .

Use of the star sign to diagnose internal fistulas in pediatric patients with penetrating Crohn disease by MR enterography

Development of internal fistula due to extramural spread of inflammatory bowel disease is a characteristic feature of penetrating disease in patients with Crohn disease. The "star sign" is a radiological finding of internal fistula that has previously been described in the gastroenterology literature in adult Crohn disease patients undergoing MR enteroclysis. The goal of this paper is to review the clinical and imaging features of penetrating disease in pediatric Crohn disease patients, highlighting the star sign as a useful diagnostic tool for diagnosing internal fistula in children by MR enterography. The recognition of penetrating complications by MR imaging can have important therapeutic and prognostic implications.

A novel biphasic oral contrast solution for enterographic studies

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy and patients' tolerance of a new mixed biphasic oral contrast solution with routine biphasic oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance (MR) enterography (MRE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-seven patients (group 1) had MRE with the new mixture, whereas 14 patients (group 2) had MRE with biphasic oral contrast agent (lactulose). Magnetic resonance enterography images were evaluated by 2 experienced radiologists. Each intestinal segment was evaluated for luminal distension (LD), distinction from the surrounding tissue (wall conspicuity), and the confidence of radiologist for evaluation of the specified segment (radiological evaluation confidence). Comparisons between the 2 groups were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Interrater and intrarater agreement values were obtained. In addition, patients' acceptability and tolerance were assessed.

RESULTS

The new mixture was more effective than the oral contrast agent used in group 2 for LD, wall conspicuity, and radiological confidence. The values of interrater and intrarater agreement in scoring LD, wall conspicuity, and radiological confidence were generally moderate.

CONCLUSION

Our new mixture allowed good-quality enterographic images, and this solution was well tolerated by patients. In addition, this mixture is useful for evaluation of small bowels and colonic segments. We suggest the use of it for enterographic examinations.

MR enterography of extraluminal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in children and adolescents: moving beyond the bowel wall

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this review is to describe the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease at MR enterography of children and adolescents.

CONCLUSION

MR enterography excellently depicts a variety of extraluminal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease affecting a variety of organ systems. Because many of these findings can be clinically important, it is critical that radiologists look beyond the bowel wall when interpreting these images.