Imaging in intestinal fibrosis. What is state of the art?

Abstract

Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence that cross-sectional imaging may be helpful in the evaluation and management of Crohn’s disease patients. Multiple studies have analyzed the potentiality of these techniques of detecting bowel wall fibrosis deposition in areas of stricturing disease, even in the setting of superimposed inflammation. Such knowledge may be incorporated in the appropriate medical, endoscopical and surgical algorithm management of stricturing Crohn’s disease. This chapter will review the different imaging modalities 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 use in clinical practice and in research studies.