| Theme |
Recent advances in detection of mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease |
| Title |
Clinical significance of barium contrast radiography in Crohn's disease |
| Author |
Motohiro Esaki |
Department of Endoscopic Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Saga University Hospital / Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyusyu University |
| [ Summary ] |
Clinical significance of barium contrast radiography for the evaluation and management of Crohn's disease (CD) was reconsidered. Because CD is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can involve any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, comprehensive evaluation of the GI tract is mandatory to determine its disease activity accurately. Endoscopic evaluation is considered as the gold standard in CD, however, intestinal complications including stenosis, fistula, and intraabdominal abscess, or severe perianal lesions frequently hamper the application of the procedure. Barium contrast radiography can be applicable for such cases, whereas the problematic Xray exposure remains. Comparative studies between barium contrast radiography and cross-sectional imaging should be necessary to determine the clinical significance of the procedure in CD. |