Magnetic resonance enterography of Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has been reported to be a useful modality for the evaluation of luminal inflammation and extraintestinal complications in Crohn’s disease (CD). A recent study indicated that the diagnostic ability of MRE was comparable to the diagnostic ability of other devices, such as ileocolonoscopy. MRE can be performed repeatedly because there is no radiation exposure. Therefore, MRE is useful as a method of follow-up for younger patients with established CD. It is useful for evaluating the efficacy of medical treatments, such as biologics. MRE can detect small intestinal lesions even if the endoscope does not pass through the stenosis. The concerns of availability of expertise and the costs associated with MRE should be addressed so MRE can be widely used for CD patients in the near future.

Keywords:

• Crohn’s disease
• diagnostic accuracy
• endoscopic remission
• enteroscopy
• magnetic resonance enterography

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• The advantage of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) for Crohn’s disease (CD) patients is that it can evaluate both luminal inflammation and extraintestinal complications of CD in the small intestine.

• Diagnostic accuracy of MRE is comparable with accuracy of ileocolonoscopy and computed tomographic enterography for detecting intestinal lesions of CD.

• MRE is useful as a method of follow-up for younger patients with established CD because of no radiation exposure.

• MRE is also useful for evaluating the efficacy of medical treatments and may predict endoscopic healing in patients with CD.

• The concerns for expertise and cost regarding MRE should be solved to be widely used for CD patients in the near future.