Musculoskeletal complications of Crohn's disease: The role of computed tomography in diagnosis and patient management

The delayed diagnosis of musculoskeletal complications of Crohn's disease m ay produce major morbidity in patients. This study compared abdominal and p elvic computed tomography (CT) with conventional radiography in the diagnos is of musculoskeletal complications in 23 of 552 patients with Crohn's dise ase examined by CT over a 7-year period. Surgical confirmation was availabl e in 15 of 21 patients. The clinical features of psoas/gluteal abscesses, a bdominal wall fistulae, and sacral osteomyelitis are described. Because the clinical manifestations of these musculoskeletal complications are often n onspecific, CT is often useful in diagnosing and directing therapeutic inte rventions.