The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detecting Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease

Title:The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detecting Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease

Volume: 13 Issue: 10

Author(s): Gionata Fiorino, Monica Cesarini, Alberto Malesci, Silvio Danese and Dario Sorrentino

Affiliation:

Keywords: Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, magnetic resonance imaging, fibrosis, inflammation, intestinalstrictures, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diagnostic techniques, computerized tomography (CT), gastrointestinal.

Abstract: One of the main challenges for clinicians dealing with Crohn’s disease (CD) is to distinguish between inflammation and fibrosis, two sequential steps in the evolution of the intestinal disease. While inflammation is amenable to medical treatment, stricturing disease can only benefit from surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used tool in the diagnosis and assessment of CD. Recent data suggest that this technique might help in discriminating between fibrosis and inflammation and as such potentially guide medical decisions. In this review we will first highlight the main diagnostic techniques for CD. We will then briefly review the main mechanisms of fibrosis in this condition and the use of MRI in CD focusing on findings predictive of fibrosis and fibrotic evolution.

Cite this article as:

Fiorino Gionata, Cesarini Monica, Malesci Alberto, Danese Silvio and Sorrentino Dario, The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detecting Intestinal Fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease, Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (10) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012802429651