422734

Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) in Crohn’s Disease: How We Do It and Common Imaging Findings

Article

Last updated: 27 Apr 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

The fields related to gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Abstract

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects children and adults. MRE is the primary imaging technique for assessment due to its non-invasive characteristics and absence of ionizing radiation. MR enterography can identify both mural and extramural manifestations of CD, serving as a crucial tool for radiologists and clinicians in disease management.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatient clinics, the National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, and the Tropical Medicine Department at the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, from January 2022 to December 2024. The study included 54 patients, aged 12 to 45 years, diagnosed with Crohn's disease through colonoscopy findings. 
Results: All patients underwent MR enterography to evaluate various imaging features during active or complicated disease stages. Active bowel inflammation was characterized by bowel wall thickening in 46 patients (85%), bowel wall edema in 15 patients (27.8%), and mural wall hyperenhancement in 43 patients (79.6%). Inflammatory mesenteric fat stranding was detected in 41 patients (75.9%), mesenteric lymphadenopathy in 29 patients (53.7%), and vascular engorgement within the affected mesentery in 39 patients (72.2%). Fistula formation is a characteristic of penetrating disease, comprising two types: intra-abdominal fistulas in 9 patients (16.7%) and perianal fistulas in 11 patients (20.4%). Chronic bowel wall inflammation, which may progress to fibrostenotic complications, was observed in only two patients (3.7%). 
Conclusion: MR enterography is a pivotal diagnostic tool in assessing the typical imaging features of Crohn's disease and its associated complications. 

DOI

10.21608/ajgh.2025.348057.1073

Keywords

Crohn’s disease, Small bowel inflammation, MR enterography

Authors

First Name

Rasha

Last Name

Aly

MiddleName

Abdelhafiz

Affiliation

Radiology department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.

Email

rasha_radiology@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

0000-0002-2358-4307

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Ali

MiddleName

Abdel-Hafez

Affiliation

Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.

Email

abdelhafez64@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

0009-0000-9659-7646

First Name

Rania

Last Name

Abouyoussef

MiddleName

A M

Affiliation

Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.

Email

rabouyoussef@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

0009-0004-0288-3705

First Name

Mohammed

Last Name

Abdelgawad

MiddleName

Said

Affiliation

Radiology department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.

Email

mselgawad@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

0000-0001-6243-2245

First Name

Heba

Last Name

Ellaban

MiddleName

Said

Affiliation

Radiology department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Egypt.

Email

hobasaidsaid@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

0009-0006-5811-2891

Volume

8

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

52772

Issue Date

2025-01-01

Receive Date

2024-12-27

Publish Date

2025-04-17

Page Start

29

Page End

50

Print ISSN

2735-5489

Online ISSN

2735-5497

Link

https://ajgh.journals.ekb.eg/article_422734.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=422734

Order

422,734

Type

Original Clinical

Type Code

2,189

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

African Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Publication Link

https://ajgh.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) in Crohn’s Disease: How We Do It and Common Imaging Findings

Details

Type

Article

Created At

27 Apr 2025