Double-contrast magnetic resonance examination of ulcerative colitis

The aim of our work was to proposed a double-contrast magnetic resonance ex amination (DCMRE) in the follow-up of ulcerative colitis (UC), comparing th is new technique with X-ray double-contrast barium enema (DCBE). After prep aration with colon-cleansing regimen used for DCBE, six UC patients and six control subjects underwent a 1.5-T examination: supine position, coronal a nd axial fat-spectral-saturation breath-hold gradient-echo T1-weighted sequ ences after intravenous hypotonization and 1500-2000 cc air insufflation. W ithout evacuating the primarily insufflated air, the same images were acqui red after endorectal administration of negative superparamagnetic contrast agent (600 cc) and intravenous administration of positive paramagnetic cont rast agent (0.2 mmol/kg). All patients had undergone DCBE in the four prece ding weeks. We found significant increase in wall thickness of UC affected vs apparently unaffected segments (p = 0.0425) and vs CG (p = 0.0447) signi ficant increase in enhancement percent of UC affected vs apparently unaffec ted segments (p = 0.0161) and vs CG (p = 0.0185), and no significant differ ence for enhancement percent of UC unaffected segments vs CG. DCMRE and DCB E localized the UC extension at the same sites in all patients. Double-cont rast MR examination time was 20-30 min. This new method could be used in fo llow-up of UC patients.