Incidental findings at MRI-enterography in patients with suspected or known Crohn's disease.

AIM: To determine the frequency and clinical impact of incidental findings detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-enterography in patients with suspected or known Crohn's disease (CD).

METHODS

Incidental findings were defined as unexpected lesions outside the small intestine, not previously known or suspected at the time of referral, and not related to inflammatory bowel disease. Through a systematic review of medical charts we analyzed the clinical impact of incidental findings, and compared the MRI findings with subsequent diagnostic procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 283 patients were included in the analysis, and MRI detected active CD in 31%, fistula in 1.4% and abscess in 0.7%. Extra-intestinal findings not related to CD were recorded in 72 patients (25%), of which 58 patients (20%) had 74 previously unknown lesions. Important or incompletely characterized findings were detected in 17 patients (6.0%). Incidental findings led to 12 further interventions in 9 patients (3.2%) revealing previously unknown pathological conditions in 5 (1.8%). One patient (0.4%) underwent surgery and one patient was diagnosed with a malignant disease. MRI detected incidental colonic lesions in 16 patients of which additional work-up in 4 revealed normal anatomy. Two patients (0.7%) benefitted from the additional examinations, whereas incidental findings led to unnecessary examinations in 9 (3.2%).

CONCLUSION

In a minority of patients with suspected or known CD, important incidental findings are diagnosed at MRI-enterography. However, a substantial number of patients experience unnecessary morbidity because of additional examinations of benign or normal conditions.