MR-IMAGING OF CROHN DISEASE - USE OF PERFLUBRON AS A GASTROINTESTINALCONTRAST AGENT

This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of perflubron (perfluoro octylbromide) as an oral contrast agent for magnetic resonance (MR) im aging of patients with Crohn disease. MR examinations were performed b efore and after perflubron administration in 12 patients with document ed Crohn disease. Glucagon was administered intramuscularly before the post-perflubron examinations. Each patient also underwent abdominal c omputed tomography within 48 hours of MR imaging. The imaging studies were analyzed for effectiveness of bowel marking with oral contrast ag ent, clarity of bowel wall visualization, and presence of bowel wall t hickening and extraluminal manifestations of Crohn disease such as abs cess or fistula formation. Analysis of the imaging studies showed effe ctive marking of the bowel with perflubron and improved bowel wall vis ualization on postcontrast MR images. Detection of bowel wall thickeni ng and extraluminal complications of Crohn disease was not significant ly improved on postcontrast MR images. The authors conclude that perfl ubron administration effectively marked the bowel and increased the cl arity of bowel wall visualization but did not significantly increase t he detection of abnormalities related to Crohn disease in the study po pulation.