Because safety and noninvasiveness are important in the routine care of Crohn's disease, both for monitoring inflammatory activity and evaluating disease extent and severity at initial diagnosis, the researchers sought to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound, according to principal investigators Dr. Kerri Novak and Dr. Stephanie Wilson from the University of Calgary.
In a large retrospective study involving 432 patients with Crohn's disease and 98 controls, the researchers found that all measured sonographic parameters (small-bowel wall thickness, inflammatory fat, lymphadenopathy, and hyperemia) were strong indicators of proven inflammatory activity of Crohn's disease. Both luminal and extraluminal sonographic features of inflammation also were important markers of disease activity.
In addition, the absence of sonographic features can rule out inflammation, according to Wilson.
"Therefore, this is a safe and effective modality to help rule out [inflammatory bowel disease]," she said.
Future analysis will evaluate inflammatory parameters of the colon, with the goal of generating a sonography index of inflammation for future validation, Wilson said.
