BMJ  2008;336:273-276 (2 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39456.527419.80

Practice

Rational Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging in Crohn’s disease

Rakesh Sinha, consultant gastrointestinal radiologist and lecturer 1, Chuka Nwokolo, professor and consultant gastroenterologist2, Paul D Murphy, consultant colorectal surgeon3

1 Department of Radiology, Warwick Hospital, South Warwickshire NHS Trust and Warwick Medical School, Warwick CV34 5BW , 2 Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry CV22 2DX , 3 Department of Surgery, Warwick Hospital, South Warwickshire NHS Trust, Warwick CV34 5BW

Correspondence to: R Sinha rakslide@gmail.com

This article explores the use of magnetic resonance imaging as an emerging modality in the investigation of Crohn’s disease

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.


  • Traditional imaging of Crohn’s disease has relied on barium examinations and conventional enteroclysis. These tests have the disadvantage that they lack extraintestinal detail. Barium examinations may also result in a large number of false negative results
  • Ultrasonography of the bowel has high sensitivity for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease but is highly operator dependent, and comprehensive evaluation of the bowel may be hampered by excessive bowel gas and overlapping bowel loops
  • Computed tomography has high sensitivity for diagnosing intestinal and extraintestinal abnormalities in inflammatory bowel disease. However, this technique carries a high radiation dose, which may prohibit its use in young patients or patients who need repeated investigations
  • Magnetic resonance imaging is an emerging modality that has high sensitivity for detecting intestinal and extraintestinal changes in Crohn’s disease. This non-ionising technique provides excellent tissue contrast resolution and can help reduce the amount of radiation that patients receive


A 35 year old . . . [Full text of this article]


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Sinha, R., Rajiah, P., Murphy, P., Hawker, P., Sanders, S. (2009). Utility of High-Resolution MR Imaging in Demonstrating Transmural Pathologic Changes in Crohn Disease. RadioGraphics 29: 1847-1867 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Desmond, A N, O'Regan, K, Curran, C, McWilliams, S, Fitzgerald, T, Maher, M M, Shanahan, F (2008). Crohn's disease: factors associated with exposure to high levels of diagnostic radiation. Gut 57: 1524-1529 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Davis, A. (2008). Better radiology in the BMJ. BMJ 336: 628-628 [Full text]  
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