[Study of the small bowel and mesentery in Crohn's disease: comparison of ultrasonics, x-ray computed tomography and small bowel transit in 18 patients].

The advantages of tomodensitometry and ultrasonography were compared with those of small bowel series in Crohn's disease of the small bowel in 18 patients. These two examinations give results which are inferior to those of small bowel series, for the positive diagnosis and the evaluation of the intraluminal extension of the disease, since their sensitivity was only 60 p. cent in identifying the pathological loop. On the contrary, their advantage lies in the evaluation of the intraluminal extension of the disease, which was correctly demonstrated with ultrasonography in 22 p. cent of cases, and tomodensitometry in 45 p. cent. This confirms the supplementary value of these two examinations in the study of the mesenteric involvement of the disease, screening of abscesses, and makes desirable a prospective evaluation of the influence of mesenteric abnormalities on the prognosis and surgical indications.