Abstract
Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence that ultrasound elastography may aid in the imaging evaluation and management of pediatric and adult Crohn’s disease patients. Multiple studies have shown that ultrasound-derived intestinal stiffness measurements can suggest the presence of bowel wall fibrosis in areas of stricturing disease, even in the setting of superimposed inflammation. Such knowledge can help guide the appropriate medical and surgical management of these patients. Furthermore, semiquantitative and quantitative elastographic methods may predict response to medical therapy, show evidence of progressive bowel damage over time, and potentially predict ensuing complications, such as impending bowel obstruction or penetrating complications. This chapter will review the different ultrasound elastography techniques for assessing the bowel, published evidence supporting the use of these techniques in Crohn’s disease patients, potential roles in clinical practice, and likely challenges and obstacles to future clinical use.
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Dillman, J.R., Rubin, J.M., Johnson, L.A., Higgins, P.D.R. (2019). Ultrasound Elastography of the Bowel. In: Rimola, J. (eds) Cross-Sectional Imaging in Crohn’s Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96586-4_3
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