Update on MR Enterography: Potentials and Pitfalls

Mimicking conditions of intestinal Crohn's disease: magnetic resonance enterography findings

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by a transmural involvement of intestinal walls. Its diagnosis comes from a combination of clinical data, imaging findings and, above all, endoscopy with biopsy results, which are mandatory for achieving a definitive diagnosis. Even so, endoscopy information may be unavailable, for instance due to technical impairments or patient intolerance. On the radiological side, Magnetic Resonance Enterography is currently considered the imaging technique of choice for Crohn's disease assessment, either at first diagnosis or follow-up. Nevertheless, the lack of radiation exposure as well as invasiveness has made this imaging approach suitable also for the evaluation of a number of small and large bowel diseases over recent years. However, it is important to remember that Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings are non-specific and that a wide overlap exists among Crohn's disease and other intestinal conditions. The aim of this work was to provide a series of intestinal affections evaluated through Magnetic Resonance Enterography that resemble Crohn's disease and that can be helpful in avoiding misinterpretation, especially when endoscopy data are missing.