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News
Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is proving to be a highly accurate, non-invasive tool for detecting Crohn's disease activity in children's small bowels. A new study found IUS performed excellently in the terminal ileum and very well in the proximal ileum when compared to MRI enterography. Researchers identified specific bowel wall thickness cutoffs that could help guide clinical decisions without the need for more complex imaging.
A new prospective study out of Amsterdam found that intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is a highly accurate, radiation-free alternative to magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) for detecting Crohn's disease (CD) activity in children's small bowels. Researchers followed 78 pediatric CD patients (median age 15) and compared IUS findings against MRE — the current gold standard — across multiple bowel segments.
The results were encouraging: IUS performed excellently in the terminal ileum and very well in the proximal ileum. However, accuracy dipped in the jejunum, suggesting IUS may be better suited for some bowel regions than others. Notably, performance was consistent across age groups (10–14 vs. 15–19 years), adding to its reliability in pediatric care.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: IUS is non-invasive, widely available, and avoids the sedation often required for MRI in children. Establishing it as a first-line diagnostic tool could streamline care and reduce the burden on young patients with Crohn's disease.
