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Tagliamonte G, Santagata F, Fraquelli M. Current Developments and Role of Intestinal Ultrasound including the Advent of AI. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:759. [PMID: 38611672 PMCID: PMC11011653 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14070759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Intestinal ultrasound is a non-invasive, safe, and cost-effective technique to study the small and large intestines. In addition to conventional B-mode and color doppler imaging, new US tools have been developed in more recent years that provide auxiliary data on many GI conditions, improving the diagnosis and assessment of relevant outcomes. We have reviewed the more recent literature (from 2010 onwards) on auxiliary tools in bowel ultrasound such as elastography techniques, CEUS, SICUS, and the potential contribution by artificial intelligence (AI) to overcome current intestinal ultrasound limitations. For this scoping review, we performed an extensive literature search on PubMed and EMBASE to identify studies published until December 2023 and investigating the application of elastography techniques, CEUS, SICUS, and AI in the ultrasonographic assessment of the small and large intestines. Multiparametric intestinal ultrasound shows promising capabilities in Crohn's disease, while less is known about the role in ulcerative colitis. Despite some evidence, the CEUS role as a point-of-care examination tool for rare conditions such as intestinal GvHD and ischemic small bowel disease seems promising, possibly avoiding the need to perform further cross-sectional imaging. The use of AI in intestinal ultrasound is still anecdotical and limited to acute appendicitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennaro Tagliamonte
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (G.T.); (F.S.)
| | - Fabrizio Santagata
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (G.T.); (F.S.)
| | - Mirella Fraquelli
- Division of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Pruijt MJ, de Voogd FAE, Montazeri NSM, van Etten-Jamaludin FS, D'Haens GR, Gecse KB. DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF INTESTINAL ULTRASOUND IN THE DETECTION OF INTRA-ABDOMINAL COMPLICATIONS IN CROHN'S DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. J Crohns Colitis 2024:jjad215. [PMID: 38173288 DOI: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjad215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crohn's disease (CD) is frequently associated with the development of strictures and penetrating complications. Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is a non-invasive imaging modality ideal for point-of-care assessment. In this systematic review and meta-analysis we provide a current overview on the diagnostic accuracy of IUS and its advanced modalities in the detection of intra-abdominal complications in CD compared to endoscopy, cross-sectional imaging, surgery and pathology. METHOD We conducted a literature search for studies describing diagnostic accuracy of IUS in adult patients with CD related intra-abdominal complications. Quality of the included studies was assessed with the QUADAS-2 tool. Meta-analysis was performed for both conventional IUS (B-mode) and oral contrast IUS (SICUS). RESULTS Of the 1498 studies we identified, 68 were included in this review and 23 studies (3863 patients) were used for the meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivities and specificities for strictures, inflammatory masses and fistulas by B-mode IUS were 0.81 and 0.90, 0.87 (sensitivities) and 0.95, and 0.67 and 0.97 (specificities), respectively. Pooled overall log diagnostic odds ratios were 3.56, 3.97 and 3.84 respectively. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of SICUS were 0.94 and 0.95, 0.91 and 0.97 (sensitivities), and 0.90 and 0.94 (specificities), respectively. Pooled overall log diagnostic odds ratio of SICUS were 4.51, 5.46 and 4.80, respectively. CONCLUSION IUS is accurate for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal complications in CD. As a non-invasive, point-of-care modality, IUS is recommended as the first-line imaging tool if there is a suspicion of CD-related intra-abdominal complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten J Pruijt
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Floris A E de Voogd
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nahid S M Montazeri
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Geert R D'Haens
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Krisztina B Gecse
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Losurdo G, De Bellis M, Rima R, Palmisano CM, Dell’Aquila P, Iannone A, Ierardi E, Di Leo A, Principi M. Small Intestinal Contrast Ultrasonography ( SICUS) in Crohn's Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med 2023; 12:7714. [PMID: 38137782 PMCID: PMC10744114 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12247714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (CD) is based on a combination of clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, endoscopy, and imaging data. In Small Intestine Contrast Ultrasonography (SICUS), the ingestion of a macrogol solution as an oral contrast medium may optimize image quality. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of SICUS for CD. A literature search was performed in August 2023. We selected only studies where SICUS was compared to a technique that allows the assessment of the whole gastrointestinal tract, such as an MRE, a CT scan, or a surgical evaluation. We estimated pooled weighted sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio for positive and negative tests (PLR/NLR) of SICUS. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROC) were drawn, and pooled areas under the curve (AUC) were calculated. Five studies with 325 CD patients were included. SICUS showed a pooled sensitivity for the diagnosis of 95% (95% confidence interval CI 89-99%), a specificity = 77% (95% CI 60-90%), and the AUC was 0.94. SICUS demonstrated a pooled sensitivity for strictures of 78% (95% CI 63-88%) and a specificity = 96% (95% CI 85-99%), with AUC = 0.93. For abscesses, SICUS demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 59-100%) and a specificity of 90% (95% CI 74-98%). Fistulae were detected with a pooled sensitivity of 77% (95% CI 46-95%) and a specificity of 92% (95% CI 75-99%). SICUS demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance compared to the gold standard despite some clinical scenarios (stenosis/fistulae) showing suboptimal diagnostic effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Losurdo
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Margherita De Bellis
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Raffaella Rima
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Chiara Maria Palmisano
- Internal Medicine Unit “C. Frugoni”, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy;
| | - Paola Dell’Aquila
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Andrea Iannone
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Enzo Ierardi
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Alfredo Di Leo
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
| | - Mariabeatrice Principi
- Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy; (M.D.B.); (P.D.); (A.I.); (E.I.); (A.D.L.); (M.P.)
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Barchi A, D'Amico F, Zilli A, Furfaro F, Parigi TL, Fiorino G, Peyrin-Biroulet L, Danese S, Dal Buono A, Allocca M. Recent advances in the use of ultrasound in Crohn's disease. Expert Rev Med Devices 2023; 20:1119-1129. [PMID: 37961790 DOI: 10.1080/17434440.2023.2283166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A clear consensus exists on the role of IUS for the assessment and monitoring of Crohn's disease (CD) in the 'treat-to-target' strategy. AREAS COVERED IUS is an accurate tool for the management of CD. It is noninvasive and well tolerated. IUS has good-to-optimal inter-operator reliability either for assessing disease activity or for evaluating treatment response, especially combining Bowel Wall Thickness (BWT) and Color Doppler Signals (CDS). IUS is able to evaluate transmural remission (TR), the ultimate goal of the 'treat-to-target' strategy. Several studies confirmed its accuracy in the assessment of the post-operative recurrence (POR). Thanks to recent advances in trans-perineal ultrasound technique (TPUS), it allows to characterize peri-anal disease and its complications. Small intestine contrast ultrasound (SICUS) and contrast-enhancement ultrasound (CEUS) may improve IUS performance, particularly in stricturing or penetrating CD. Ultrasound elastography (USE) is raising interest for its accuracy in differentiating CD phenotypes (fibrotic versus inflamed). EXPERT OPINION IUS is a pivotal step in the management of CD, in early assessment as in therapeutic monitoring, with advantages of evaluating transmural response. Development and validation of novel ultrasound biomarkers of activity and fibrosis, especially those linked to advanced ultrasound techniques, are expected in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Barchi
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Ferdinando D'Amico
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zilli
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Furfaro
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Tommaso Lorenzo Parigi
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Gionata Fiorino
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet
- Department of Gastroenterology and Inserm NGERE U1256, University Hospital of Nancy, University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nancy University Hospital, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- INFINY Institute, Nancy University Hospital, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- FHU-CURE, Nancy University Hospital, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
- Groupe Hospitalier privé Ambroise Paré - Hartmann, Paris IBD center, Neuilly sur Seine, France
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Silvio Danese
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Dal Buono
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
- IBD Center, Humanitas Research Hospital - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariangela Allocca
- Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Abstract
As Crohn's disease (CD) is predominantly located within the small bowel, imaging of the small bowel plays an intriguing role in the primary diagnosis as well as in the monitoring of patients with CD. Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) offers several advantages over endoscopy and other imaging modalities. Obvious advantages of IUS include noninvasiveness, rapid availability and cost effectiveness. IUS has been shown to have high accuracy in detecting small bowel CD and determining intra- and extramural complications such as stenoses, fistulae and abscesses. IUS has also been shown to be highly effective in determining postoperative disease recurrence and in follow up of patients under treatment. The following review summarizes current developments in the use of IUS for the detection of small bowel lesions and complications. The aim of this review is to suggest algorithms on how to use IUS in managing patients with small bowel CD in clinical practice. Suggested applications on the use of high frequency IUS in CD are extended by discussing new developments such as contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and elastography.
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Zorzi F, Stasi E, Bevivino G, Scarozza P, Biancone L, Zuzzi S, Rossi C, Pallone F, Calabrese E. A sonographic lesion index for Crohn's disease helps monitor changes in transmural bowel damage during therapy. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2014; 12:2071-7. [PMID: 24813174 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2014.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Therapeutic antibodies against tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNF) are effective in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Mucosal healing is a surrogate marker of efficacy, but little is known about the effects of anti-TNF agents on structural damage in the intestine. Small-intestine contrast ultrasonography (SICUS) is a valuable tool for assessing CD lesions. A new sonographic quantitative index (the sonographic lesion index for CD [SLIC]) was developed to quantify changes in CD lesions detected by SICUS. We explored whether the SLIC can be used to monitor transmural bowel damage in CD patients during anti-TNF therapy. METHODS We performed a prospective study of 29 patients with ileal or ileocolonic CD treated with anti-TNF agents; patients underwent SICUS before and after scheduled induction and maintenance therapy. To determine whether changes that can be detected by SICUS occur independently of anti-TNF therapy, 7 patients with ileal CD treated with mesalamine were enrolled as controls. A clinical response was defined as steroid-free remission, with CD activity index scores less than 150. RESULTS We observed significant improvements in SLIC scores and subscores after induction and maintenance therapy with anti-TNFs, compared with before therapy. SLIC scores and subscores and index classes were improved significantly in patients with vs without clinical responses. Controls had no improvements in terms of CD activity index or SLIC scores, or index classes. CONCLUSIONS Sonographic assessment using the quantitative index SLIC can be used to monitor changes in transmural bowel damage during anti-TNF therapy for CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Zorzi
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Stasi
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Gerolamo Bevivino
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Scarozza
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Livia Biancone
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Zuzzi
- Interdepartmental Center of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Carla Rossi
- Interdepartmental Center of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Pallone
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Calabrese
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy.
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Pallotta N, Civitelli F, Di Nardo G, Vincoli G, Aloi M, Viola F, Capocaccia P, Corazziari E, Cucchiara S. Small intestine contrast ultrasonography in pediatric Crohn's disease. J Pediatr 2013; 163:778-84.e1. [PMID: 23623514 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.03.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Revised: 01/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of small intestine contrast ultrasonography (SICUS) in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD). STUDY DESIGN A total of 51 consecutive patients (median age 15 years; range 3-20, 31 male patients), 21 with suspected and 30 with proven CD, were studied. All patients underwent standard ultrasonography (ie, transabdominal ultrasonography [TUS]), SICUS, small bowel follow-through, and upper and lower endoscopy. SICUS was performed in patients after they ingested an oral contrast solution. TUS and SICUS were compared with small bowel follow-through and endoscopy via use of the final diagnosis as reference standard. RESULTS In undiagnosed patients, the sensitivity and specificity of TUS and SICUS in detecting CD small bowel lesions were 75% and 100% and 100% and 100%, respectively. In patients with proven CD, the sensitivity and specificity of TUS and SICUS were 76% and 100% and 96% and 100%, respectively. The agreement (k) with radiology for site of lesions was almost perfect for SICUS (0.93), both for jejunal and ileal lesions, and it was fair (0.40) for jejunal and substantial (0.68) for ileal lesions for TUS. Compared with radiology SICUS correctly assessed the length of lesions, whereas TUS underestimated it (P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS The radiation-free technique SICUS is comparable with radiology and more accurate than TUS in assessing small bowel lesions in pediatric CD, mainly in the detection of proximal small bowel disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Pallotta
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Calabrese E, Zorzi F, Onali S, Stasi E, Fiori R, Prencipe S, Bella A, Petruzziello C, Condino G, Lolli E, Simonetti G, Biancone L, Pallone F. Accuracy of small-intestine contrast ultrasonography, compared with computed tomography enteroclysis, in characterizing lesions in patients with Crohn's disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013; 11:950-5. [PMID: 23375998 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Revised: 12/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Small-intestine contrast ultrasonography (SICUS) is a radiation-free technique that can detect intestinal damage in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of SICUS in determining the site, extent, and complications of CD, compared with computed tomography (CT) enteroclysis as the standard. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 59 patients with CD evaluated by SICUS and CT enteroclysis 3 months apart, between January 2007 and April 2012. We evaluated disease site (based on bowel wall thickness), extent of lesions, and presence of complications (stenosis, prestenotic dilation, abscess, or fistulas) using CT enteroclysis as the standard. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were calculated. We determined the correlations in maximum wall thickness and disease extent in the small bowel between results from SICUS and CT enteroclysis. RESULTS SICUS identified the site of small bowel CD with 98% sensitivity, 67% specificity, and 95% diagnostic accuracy; it identified the site of colon CD with 83% sensitivity, 97.5% specificity, and 93% diagnostic accuracy. Results from SICUS and CT enteroclysis correlated in determination of bowel wall thickness (rho, 0.79) and disease extent (rho, 0.89; P < .0001 for both). SICUS detected ileal stenosis with 95.5% sensitivity, 80% specificity, and 91.5% diagnostic accuracy, and prestenotic dilation with 87% sensitivity, 67% specificity, and 75% diagnostic accuracy. SICUS detected abscesses with 78% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 97% diagnostic accuracy, and fistulas with 78.5% sensitivity, 95.5% specificity, and 91.5% diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS SICUS identified lesions and complications in patients with CD with high levels of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy compared with CT enteroclysis. SICUS might be used as an imaging tool as part of a focused diagnostic examination of patients with CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Calabrese
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
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