Sebastian Bickelhaupt, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Moritz Wurnig, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Andreas Boss MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Michael A. Patak MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The aim of this study is to investigate if alterations of intra- and prelesionary motility in inflamed small-bowel segments correlate with length, wall-thickness and prelesionary dilatation of small bowel lesions in patients suffering from Crohn`s disease assessed with MRI.

This retrospective IRB approved study included 25 patients (12 males, 13 females, 18-77y) with inflammatory lesions examined with magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). Cine MRE was performed using a coronal 2D steady-state free precession sequence (TR 2.9, TE 1.25) on a 1.5 T MRI scanner (GE Signa, GE Medical Systems, USA). Small bowel motility was examined using a dedicated MR-motility assessment software (Motasso, Vers. 1.0, Sohard AG, Bern, Switzerland). Motility patterns (contraction frequency, relative occlusion rate and mean diameter) were assessed in correlation to wall thickness, length and prelesionary dilatation of the lesions. Statistical analysis was performed by calculation of the Pearson’s-Correlation coefficient.

Small bowel motility showed a significant correlation between the contraction frequency within the inflammatory lesions and the non-affected pre-lesionary segments (r=0.734, p=0.046). Further a significant inverse correlation between the prelesionary diameter quantification and the motility measured in the prelesionary, non-affected segements was found (r=-0.821, p=0.015). The length of the inflammatory segments, the wall thickening and prelesionary dilatation did not correlate with the frequency of the contractions within the lesion (r=0.17 p=0.477; r=0.316, p=0.123; r=0.161, p=0.441) or the impairment of luminal occlusion (r=0.274, p=0.184; r=0.199, p=.0339; r=0.015, p=0.945) and only the prelesionary dilatation (r=0.410, p=0.042) correlated to the mean luminal diameter of the inflamed segment.

The degree of motility impairment within inflammatory small bowel lesions does not significantly correlate with the extent of the lesion but with the motility measured in prelesionary, non-affected segments, suggesting an interdependent functional aspect of inflammation even in morphologically non-affected small bowel segments.

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases often show severe abdominal complaints though presenting limited inflammation, we revealed interdependent functional bowel impairment in non-affected segments as a possible explanation.  

Bickelhaupt, S, Wurnig, M, Boss, A, Patak, M, Correlation between Morphological Extent of Inflammatory Small Bowel Lesions in Patients with Crohn`s Disease Compared to Intra- and Prelesionary Motility, Assessed with MRI.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14011093.html