Role of MR enterography versus ileo-colonoscopy in the assessment of inflammatory bowel diseases

BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is widespread and rapidly rising in developing countries. It remains a significant issue in Western culture with a prevalence of more than 0.3%. Symptom control has been the only focus of treatment before the discovery that many individuals with IBD continue to have disease activity even in the absence of clinical symptoms. Therefore, treatment goals now include establishing clinical remission, steroid-free remission, and mucosal healing, which may eventually be complemented by transmural healing in cross-sectional imaging modalities. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), computed tomography enterography, and small-bowel ultrasound are now reliable methods for staging intramural lesions and extramural consequences in CD and for determining disease activity and severity. Recently literature suggests the incorporation of (MRE) for periodic reevaluation of IBD patients, as it offers small-bowel, colonic, and extra-enteric assessment as well as monitors the response to the anti-inflammatory therapy. The purpose of the current study was to compare MRE with ileo-colonoscopy findings in the diagnosis of IBD features, specifically Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis, as well as in the detection of disease exacerbation (Activity).ResultsThis study used MRE and ileo-colonoscopy to assess chronic inflammatory bowel disease patients; the patient population (n = 30) was made up of (14/30, 46.7%) females and (16/30, 53.3%) males, with a mean age of 32 +/- SD 13 years. MRE alone detected lymphadenopathy in 73.3% of patients, and mural thickening with a mean of 4.1 +/- SD 5.1 mm. It has detected mucosal enhancement with 80% sensitivity and 60% specificity. However, it was unable to detect mucosal erosions or ulceration.ConclusionsMRE is sensitive, inexpensive, noninvasive, and radiation-free for inflammatory bowel disease detection, with 86.7% diagnostic accuracy for affected areas. Unlike ileo-colonoscopy, it could examine the entire small intestine, precisely measure the affected loop, and detect activity signs such as mural thickening and lymphadenopathy. Only ileo-colonoscopy could detect mucosal degradation and superficial ulcers. IBD treatment protocols should incorporate MRE for small-bowel, colonic, and extra-enteric assessment, monitoring of disease activity, and anti-inflammatory therapy response.