Evaluation of Crohn's disease using half-fourier RARE and gadolinium-enhanced SGE sequences: Initial results

To assess the bowel changes in Crohn's disease, 11 consecutive patients und erwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study using T-2-weighted half-Fouri er rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) and gadolinium-enha nced standard and fat suppressed spoiled gradient echo (SGE) sequences. Com parison was made between MR findings of disease extent, severity, and compl ications and clinical data, endoscopic findings and/or surgical specimens i n all patients. We found that the half-Fourier RARE images showed bowel wal l thickening, dilatation of bowel and bowel obstruction well in all patient s, however severity of bowel disease could not be determined as the signal intensity of diseased bowel was comparable to normal bowel in 10/11 patient s. Gadolinium-enhanced fat suppressed SGE demonstrated variations of mural enhancement that correlated well with extent of disease severity in 10/11 p atients. Complications such as intraperitoneal (i.p.) abscess (2 patients), gastric outlet obstruction (1 patient), bowel obstruction (2 patients), an d fistula formation (3 patient), were accurately shown. We conclude that T- 2-weighted half-Fourier RARE and gadolinium-enhanced fat suppressed SGE seq uences are complementary techniques that possess different imaging features that are of value for assessing bowel changes in Crohn's disease. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.