Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Bowel Wall Thickness and Intramural Blood Flow in Ulcerative Colitis

QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moataz Mohamed Sayed ◽  
Kamal El-Deen Abdelrahman El-Atrebi ◽  
Tari Magdy Aziz George ◽  
Hazem Mohamed Abd Elazim Marey
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Bowel Movement ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Pathologic Features ◽  
Relapse Group

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease that merely affects the mucosa and submucosa of colon in the form of inflammatory ulcers. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for its diagnosis. For optimal monitoring of disease activity in UC patients, colonoscopy should be performed on a regular basis. However, repeated colonoscopies represent a logistic and economic challenge, as well as significant burden for the patients. Objectives Our study aimed to provide an extensive overview of the main pathologic features of gut wall vessels and bowel wall thickness at US examination of UC. Patients and Methods This prospective case control study was done on 40 patients confirmed to have UC attending to Outpatient Clinics of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Department – Ain-Shams University from October 2018 to Augost 2019. They were divided into two groups: Relapse group: Include 20 patients with active UC disease. Remission group: Include 20 patients with inactive UC disease (in remission state). These two groups were matched with 20 healthy individuals, matched for age and gender and considered to be a control group. Disease activity was categorized according to the endoscopic Mayo score.Ultrasound and endoscopic findings were compared for each colon segment except for the rectum. Results The peak incidence of affected patients was 30–40 years of age. Female predominance compared to male with a ratio of 2.6:1. 20% of remission patients complaining from 1-2 bowel movement while 45% and 50% of relapsing patients suffer from 3-4 and 5 bowel movement respectively. 100%, 100%, 20% and 15% of relapsing patients suffer from bleeding per rectum, abdominal pain, tenesmus and urgency. Higher ESR and CRP and lower hemoglobin in relapsing compared to remission group. Furthermore, The last group has higher value of ESR and CRP and lower value of hemoglobin compared to control group. BWT was significantly thicker in relapse group (4.8±0.7 mm) than of remission (3.55±0.5 mm) compared to control group (1.6±0.5) (p value <0.001). BWT at a cut-offs > 4 mm discriminating between cases with relapse from those with remission and at a cut-offs >4 mm discriminating between mild endoscopic severity from moderate and severe UC. Furthermore, BWT at a cut-offs >4.6 mm discriminating between mild and moderate endoscopic severity from severe UC. Vascular signal number at a cut-offs >1 discriminating between cases with relapse from those with remission and at a cut-offs >2 discriminating between mild and moderate endoscopic severity of UC. Conclusion Abdominal ultrasound is a widely available non-invasive method for imaging of UC. It provides a high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in diagnosis and monitoring of UC activity.

scholarly journals P283 Decrease in bowel wall thickness at intestinal ultrasound accurately detects early endoscopic remission and improvement in ulcerative colitis patients on tofacitinib: a longitudinal prospective cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S315-S317
Author(s):  
F de Voogd ◽  
E Van Wassenaer ◽  
A Mookhoek ◽  
S Bots ◽  
S Van Gennep ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Treatment Effectiveness ◽  
Observer Agreement ◽  
Close Monitoring ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Endoscopic Remission

Abstract Background To assess disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) intestinal ultrasound (IUS) highly correlates with endoscopic outcomes. However, data on treatment response evaluated with IUS is limited. In this study we aim to evaluate bowel wall thickness (BWT) at follow-up to determine treatment effectiveness in moderate-severe UC patients treated with tofacitinib according to central read endoscopy and histology. Methods Patients with moderate-severe UC (endoscopic Mayo score (EMS)≥2) starting tofacitinib 10 mg bid were included. Disease activity was evaluated by recorded IUS cine-loops and video-taped endoscopies with biopsies from the sigmoid (SC) and descending colon (DC) at baseline and at 8 weeks. BWT and EMS were assessed per segment (SC and DC). Histology was scored for the SC with the Robarts Histology Index (RHI). BWT, EMS and RHI were centrally read and for IUS there was a second reader. Endoscopic remission (ERem) was defined as EMS=0, endoscopic improvement (EI) as EMS≤1 and endoscopic response (ERes) as a decrease of EMS≥1. For statistical analysis a Wilcoxon signed-rank and Spearman’s test were used. Area under the ROC was used to determine optimal cut-off values. Inter-observer agreement was analyzed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results 29 patients were included and started tofacitinib. 10% reached complete ERem after 8 weeks, respectively. Per-segment analysis for EMS showed 22% and 53% reaching ER and 40% and 60% having EI in the SC and DC, respectively. BWT in SC and DC correlated highly with the EMS (rho=0.68, rho=0.75, both p<0.0001) and moderately with RHI (rho=0.49, p=0.002). Patients with EMS≥2 after 8 weeks had an increased BWT (SC: 4.32 ± 1.57 mm, DC: 4.38 ± 1.58 mm) when compared to ERem (SC: 2.10 ± 0.67 mm, DC: mean: 2.00 ± 1.18 mm, both p<0.0001) and EI (SC: 2.29 ± 0.76 mm, DC: 2.56 ± 1.38 mm, both p<0.0001) in the similar segment (Figure 1 and 2). BWT decreased after 8 weeks when there was ERes (SC: mean: -2.59 ± 1.44 mm, DC: -1.82 ± 1.01 mm, both p=0.007) and did not when there was no ERes (Figure 3). BWT cut-off values for ERem are reported in Figure 4. Furthermore, agreement for BWT in the SC and DC was excellent (ICC: 0.92 and ICC: 0.89), respectively. Conclusion BWT reduction showed early endoscopic remission, improvement and response after 8 weeks of tofacitinib treatment and correlated with histology in this central read cohort. Furthermore, accurate and reliable cut-off values for BWT in SC and DC were found for endoscopic remission and improvement. Therefore, IUS should be incorporated in the standard follow-up and close monitoring of UC patients.

scholarly journals P578 Inter-observer agreement of an expert panel for gastrointestinal ultrasound in ulcerative colitis

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S486-S487
Author(s):  
F de Voogd ◽  
R Wilkens ◽  
K Gecse ◽  
M Allocca ◽  
K Novak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Interobserver Agreement ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Observer Agreement ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Gastrointestinal Ultrasound

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal ultrasound (GIUS) is increasingly performed in inflammatory bowel disease to assess disease activity and treatment response. It is promising as an effective point-of-care imaging tool since it correlates well with endoscopy and other cross-sectional imaging modalities. Previous studies showed moderate to substantial interobserver agreement in Crohn’s disease. However, in ulcerative colitis (UC) inter-observer agreement for GIUS has not yet been evaluated. Therefore, we conducted a study to assess inter-observer agreement in UC. Methods Thirty patients with UC (five with clinically quiescent and 25 with active disease) were included in this study. Cine-loops were recorded for the sigmoid colon (SC) in a longitudinal and cross-sectional axis in B-mode and in colour Doppler mode. Cine-loops were scored by five independent raters blinded for clinical disease activity. The cine-loops were scored for bowel wall thickness (BWT), Doppler activity (0=no activity, 1=small spots limited to the bowel wall, 2=long stretches within the bowel wall, 3=long stretches within and outside of the bowel wall), inflammatory fat, bowel wall stratification, loss of haustration and lymph nodes (present or absent). The intraclass correlation coefficient was used for the assessment of bowel wall thickness. Fleiss’ kappa was used for all nominal variables and weighted Cohen’s kappa was used for all ordinal variables. Results Inter-observer agreement was good for bowel wall thickness (ICC: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.51–0.83, p < 0.0001) [1] and moderate for Doppler signal (k=0.57, 95% CI: 0.37–0.77, p < 0.0001) [2]. When Doppler signal was interpreted as absent (0) or present (1–3) the observed agreement was almost perfect (k=0.81, 95% CI: 0.69–0.92). For inflammatory fat the observed agreement was moderate (k=0.42, 95% CI: 0.29–0.58, p < 0.0001). Inter-observer agreement was fair for the presence of lymph nodes (k=0.35, 95% CI:0.20–0.49, p < 0.0001) and loss of stratification (k=0.22 95% CI: 0.09–0.35, p < 0.001). Agreement was slight for loss of haustrations (k=0.15, 95% CI: 0.00–0.29, p = 0.046). Conclusion GIUS is a reliable imaging modality with good to moderate interobserver agreement for BWT, vascularisation and fatty wrapping in UC. These ultrasonographic parameters are important features to distinguish active from quiescent disease. References

Monitoring Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Pregnancy Using Gastrointestinal Ultrasonography

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1405-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Flanagan ◽  
Emily K Wright ◽  
Jakob Begun ◽  
Robert V Bryant ◽  
Yoon-Kyo An ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Terminal Ileum ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Faecal Calprotectin ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract Background and Aims Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] affects women during their childbearing years. Gastrointestinal ultrasonography [GIUS] accurately identifies disease activity in non-pregnant patients with IBD. The utility of GIUS in pregnancy has not been established. We aimed to determine the feasibility and accuracy of GIUS in the assessment of IBD during pregnancy progression. Methods A multicentre observational study of women with IBD undergoing GIUS during pregnancy. Clinicians assessed the adequacy of bowel views and disease activity in four colonic segments and the terminal ileum. Location[s] in which views were impeded by the uterus were documented. GIUS disease activity [bowel wall thickness >3 mm] was compared with biochemical disease activity [faecal calprotectin >100 μg/g]. Results Ninety patients and 127 GIUS examinations were included [median gestation 19 weeks, range 4–33]. Adequate colonic views were obtained in 116/127 [91%] scans. Adequate ileal views were obtained in 62/67 [93%] scans <20 weeks and 30/51 [59%] scans at 20–26 weeks. There was a positive correlation between bowel wall thickness and calprotectin [r = 0.26, p = 0.03]. GIUS delivered a specificity of 83%, sensitivity of 74%, and negative predictive value of 90% compared with calprotectin. Conclusions GIUS is a feasible and accurate modality for monitoring IBD in pregnancy. Adequate GIUS views of the colon and terminal ileum can be obtained in the majority of patients up to 20 weeks of gestation. Beyond 20 weeks, GIUS provides good views of the colon but the terminal ileum becomes difficult to assess.

scholarly journals Development and Validation of a Simple Ultrasound Activity Score for Crohn’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrik Sævik ◽  
Ragnar Eriksen ◽  
Geir Egil Eide ◽  
Odd Helge Gilja ◽  
Kim Nylund
Keyword(s):  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Activity Index ◽  
Reference Standard ◽  
Colour Doppler ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Ultrasound Score

Abstract Background and Aims To improve management of patients with Crohn’s disease, objective measurements of disease activity are needed. Ileocolonoscopy is the current reference standard but has limitations that restrict repeated use. Ultrasonography is potentially useful for activity monitoring, but no validated sonographic activity index is currently in widespread use. Thus, we aimed to construct and validate a simple ultrasound score for Crohn’s disease. Methods Forty patients were prospectively examined with ultrasound and endoscopy in the development phase. The Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease [SES-CD] was used as a reference standard. Seven ultrasound variables [bowel wall thickness, length, colour Doppler, stenosis, fistula, stratification and fatty wrapping] were initially included, and multiple linear regression was used to select the variables that should be included in the final score. Second, the ultrasound data from each patient were re-examined for interobserver assessment using weighted kappa and intraclass correlation. Finally, the activity index was validated in a new cohort of 124 patients. Results Length, fistula and stenosis were excluded. The combination of the remaining variables provided a multiple correlation coefficient of r = 0.78. Interobserver analysis revealed poor agreement for stratification and fatty wrapping and these were thus excluded. There was excellent interobserver agreement for the remaining score consisting of wall thickness and colour Doppler. In both patient cohorts, the ultrasound score correlated well with SES-CD [Development cohort: rho = 0.83, p < 0.001, Validation cohort: rho = 0.78, p < 0.001]. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.92 and 0.88 for detecting endoscopic activity and moderate endoscopic activity, respectively. Conclusions A simple ultrasound activity index for Crohn’s disease consisting of bowel wall thickness and colour Doppler was constructed and validated and correlated well with endoscopic disease activity. ClinicalTrials. gov ID: NCT03481751

PP65 ULTRASOUND SCAN WITH BOWEL WALL THICKNESS EXAMINATION, IN ACUTE SEVERE ULCERATIVE COLITIS IN CHILDREN

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. S436
Author(s):  
A. Montemaggi ◽  
L. Tasciotti ◽  
M. Basile ◽  
M. De Maurizio ◽  
M. Paci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Ultrasound Scan ◽  
Severe Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness

Bowel wall thickness measured by ultrasound as a marker of Crohn's disease activity in children

The Lancet ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (9211) ◽  
pp. 1239-1240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans P Haber ◽  
Andreas Busch ◽  
Rita Ziebach ◽  
Martin Stern
Keyword(s):  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Crohn’S Disease Activity

scholarly journals Measurement of Bowel Wall Thickness by Transabdominal Ultrasonography Is Useful to Detect the Inflammation of Colon in Ulcerative Colitis Patients : A Retrospective Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Takahara ◽  
Sakiko Hiraoka ◽  
Masayasu Ohmori ◽  
Kensuke Takei ◽  
Eriko Yasutomi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Mucosal Inflammation ◽  
Trend Test ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Transabdominal Ultrasonography ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Invasive Method

Abstract Background: Transabdominal ultrasonography (TUS) is a non-invasive method that can be performed repeatedly. Although the usefulness of TUS in ulcerative colitis (UC) has been reported, no well-established data exist yet. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of TUS, compared with colonoscopy (CS), in detecting the presence of mucosal inflammation in each segment of the colon among patients with UC. Methods: Eighty UC patients who underwent US within 14 days after CS were retrospectively registered. We divided the colon into five segments and measured the bowel wall thickness (BWT) using TUS. The results were then compared with the Mayo endoscopic subscore classification (MES) in order to determine their accuracy.Result: We evaluated a total of 268 lesions for each segment among 80 UC patients. The proportion of BWT decreased with an increase in the MES of each segment (p < 0.0001, Cochran-Armitage trend test). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of positive BMT (BWT >2 mm) for detecting mucosal inflammation (MES >0) of each segment were 0.85-1.00, 0.78-0.93, and 0.87-0.98, respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that TUS was a useful method for detecting the presence or absence of inflammation sites among UC patients due to its high accuracy when BMT >2 mm was considered as a positive finding. This non-invasive method may help control the disease activity of UC.

scholarly journals P689 Patient-reported outcomes (PRO-2) and intestinal ultrasound in ulcerative colitis patients: subanalysis of the TRUST&UC study cohort

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S560-S561
Author(s):  
C Maaser ◽  
U Helwig ◽  
I Fischer ◽  
S Rath ◽  
S Kolterer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Rectal Bleeding ◽  
Patient Reported Outcomes ◽  
Bowel Wall ◽  
Stool Frequency ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Moderate Correlation ◽  
Bowel Wall Thickness ◽  
Patient Reported

Abstract Background Patient-reported Outcomes (PRO) are gaining increasing acceptance as new tools to evaluate clinical activity, especially in the context of clinical trials and evaluation of drug efficacy. However, data to support the relevance of these endpoints and their correlation to objective markers of inflammation is still lacking.1 Recently published data demonstrated the feasibility of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) as a routine monitoring technique in clinical practice for Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.2 Thus, the importance and significance of IUS, as a patient-centric and non-invasive technique has emerged over the last years and will become more relevant in the future.With this sub-analysis of the TRUST&UC study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between improvement in ultrasound parameters and PRO-2 in UC patients. Methods TRUST&UC is a prospective, observational study including 244 patients with an increased bowel wall thickness (BWT) at baseline and active UC (SCCAI ≥ 5). These patients were analysed for the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) subscores stool frequency, urgency and rectal bleeding. These parameters were documented for up to 4 visits (baseline, an optional visit at week 2, week 6 and week 12). Pathological stool frequency was defined as a stool frequency of ≥1 point (≥ 4 stools/day) and pathological rectal bleeding was defined as ≥1 point (traces of blood in stool); the combination of both subscores was defined as PRO-2. Results We found a positive moderate correlation between BWT and the investigated SCCAI-subscores (rectal bleeding and BWT at W12 r = 0.417; stool frequency and BWT at W12, r = 0.483; PRO-2 and BWT at W12, r = 0.518) and even W6, which is in accordance with previously reported correlations of various PROs and endoscopy in UC-patients.3 We demonstrate that patients with normalisation of BWT (sigmoid colon &lt; 4.0 mm) had a significantly higher chance of a non-pathological PRO-2 (pathological PRO-2 yes/no: 4.25 mm and 3.20 mm for week 6 (p &lt; 0.001) and 4.45 mm and 3.00 mm (p &lt; 0.001) for week 12). Conclusion With this sub-analysis of the TRUST&UC study we demonstrated that bowel wall thickness, assessed by intestinal ultrasound, had a moderate correlation with normalisation of patient-reported outcomes as early as week 6 and 12. Furthermore, patients with non-pathological PRO-2 had significantly decreased bowel wall thickness. This again supports the value of intestinal ultrasound in routine medical practice. References

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