Incoherent-motion magnetic resonance imaging and pediatric Crohn disease

Abstract

Sigrid Bairdain, Moti Freiman, Jeanette M. Perez-Rossello, Michael J. Callahan, Athos Bousvaros, Simon K. Warfield, Bradley C. Linden

Crohn disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology with approximately one-third of patients being children and adolescents. Long-standing inflammation can result in fibrostenosing disease, usually of the terminal ileum. However, distinguishing between inflammation and fibrosis on conventional imaging is difficult. Incoherent motion magnetic resonance imaging is a novel imaging modality that evaluates the speed of water diffusion, and therefore may distinguish between inflammation and fibrosis. We report our preliminary experience with a 12-year-old patient who underwent intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) as an attempt to identify perioperative, as well as IVIM features, suggestive of fibrosis; this, in order to better-delineate timing between continued medical management and transition to an operative intervention through non-invasive adjuncts.