Use of color Doppler ultrasonography for evaluating vascularity of small intestinal lesions in Crohn's disease: correlation with endoscopic and surgical macroscopic findings. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sasaki, Tomohiko; Kunisaki, Reiko; Kinoshita, Hiroto; Yamamoto, Hisae; Kimura, Hideaki; Hanzawa, Akiho; Shibata, Naomi; Yonezawa, Hiromi; Miyajima, Eiji; Sakamaki, Kentaro; Numata, Kazushi; Tanaka, Katsuaki; Maeda, Shin
• Is Part Of: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology. Volume 49:Number 3(2014)
• Page Start: 295
• Page End: 301
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.33
• DOI: 10.3109/00365521.2013.871744
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0036-5521

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold> <italic>Objective.</italic> </bold> Ultrasonography (US) is a simple, inexpensive and minimally invasive method. We evaluated the vascularity of small intestinal lesions in Crohn's disease using color Doppler US (CD-US) and retrospectively compared them with endoscopic and surgical macroscopic findings. <bold><italic>Material and methods.</italic></bold> In order to compare CD-US and endoscopic findings, 108 Crohn's disease patients who underwent examination of the terminal ileum by both colonoscopy and CD-US were included in the study. Vascularity was evaluated in CD-US using a semiquantitative method, the Limberg score. We analyzed correlations between Limberg score and simple endoscopic score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD), an index reflecting endoscopic activity. Scores of SES-CD 3 and higher were defined as endoscopically active. For comparison with surgical macroscopic findings, 22 Crohn's disease patients who received CD-US and subsequent iliectomies were included. Lesions with apparent open ulcers were defined as active, and those without as non-active. These findings were compared with the Limberg score. <bold><italic>Results.</italic></bold> A substantial positive correlation was observed between Limberg scores and SES-CD (ρ = 0.709 [<italic>p</italic> < 0.001]). Notably, all 27 cases with a Limberg score of 3 or 4 were classified as endoscopically active. Compared to surgical macroscopic activity, Limberg scores of active lesions were significantly higher than those of non-active lesions (<italic>p</italic> = 0.005). In particular, all 11 cases with a Limberg score of 3 or 4 were classified as active lesions. <bold><italic>Conclusion.</italic></bold> Vascularity of small intestinal lesions of Crohn's disease evaluated by CD-US with Limberg score is well correlated with endoscopic and surgical macroscopic findings.</p> </abstract>