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The most characteristic lesions and radiologic signs of Crohn disease of the small bowel: air enteroclysis, MDCT, endoscopy, and pathology

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Abstract

This pictorial essay describes the most characteristic lesions and radiologic signs of Crohn disease of the small bowel: nodular lymphoid hyperplasia, abnormal mucosal folds, villous pattern, aphthous ulcerations, linear ulcerations, cobblestone pattern, string sign, target sign, comb sign, creeping fat, sinus tracts, fistulas, and abscesses. Each description includes the definition, a correlation with the pathologic findings, an explanation of the possible physiopathologic mechanism, sample radiologic images with air enteroclysis or MDCT, the correspondence with the endoscopic findings when possible, and a list of differential diagnoses.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lory Tubbs of Medical Communications, LSU Health, Shreveport, LA for the illustrations.

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Correspondence to Alberto I. Carbo.

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Carbo, A.I., Reddy, T., Gates, T. et al. The most characteristic lesions and radiologic signs of Crohn disease of the small bowel: air enteroclysis, MDCT, endoscopy, and pathology. Abdom Imaging 39, 215–234 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-013-0036-2

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