This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Allan, R A Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Allan, R A

Imaging in inflammatory bowel disease

Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St George's Hospital, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT, UK

• There has been a marked increase in the incidence of Crohn's disease in children over recent years.
  
• Endoscopy plus biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children.
  
• The role of imaging is to assess sites of disease not accessible with endoscopy, the extent of any extraintestinal disease and the development of complications.
  
• Ultrasound should be the first imaging investigation in children to "screen" for IBD.
  
• ⁹⁹Tc^m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime white blood cell scan is a more appropriate investigation than small bowel follow through (SBFT) studies to assess disease extent and activity.
  
• In children, SBFT is preferred to a small bowel enema for the diagnosis of IBD involving the small bowel, and should only be performed in specialist centres for specific indications.
  
• CT is not indicated routinely in children with suspected IBD but may be required if other conditions, such as lymphoma, are suspected.
  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L Stewart The role of ultrasound in the investigation of childhood abdominal pain Imaging, December 1, 2004; 16(2): 101 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Answers to multiple-choice questionnaire: Paediatric radiology [from Imaging 13(4)] Imaging, December 31, 2001; 13(6): 478 - 482. [Full Text] [PDF]