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Aim: Recent data have shown that superior mesenteric artery (SMA) flow rates are significantly increased in active Crohn's disease, suggesting that SMA flow may be a useful, non-invasive index of disease activity. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the use of SMA Doppler sonography as an indicator of Crohn's disease activity and to compare with clinical evaluation and the Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI)., Materials and Methods: Patients with active Crohn's (n = 19), inactive Crohn's (n = 17) and control subjects (n = 17) were evaluated. Categorization of disease activity was based on a reference standard. CDAI scores were also calculated independently. The SMA flow parameters evaluated were resistive index, pulsatility index, end diastolic velocity, peak systolic velocity, time averaged maximum velocity, cross-sectional area and maximum flow volume., Results: Using a three-group ANOVA for each of peak systolic velocity (PSV) (P = 0.01), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) (P = 0.04), pulsatility index (PI) (P = 0.003), time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV) (P = 0.05), and maximum flow volume (TAMV.CSA) (P = 0.01), there was a significant effect of group. Using post-hoc tests, only EDV (P = 0.01), TAMV (P = 0.02) and TAMV.CSA (P = 0.003) were significantly different between active and inactive Crohn's disease, though with considerable overlap of values for EDV and TAMV. The mean CDAI scores were significantly different between patients with active Crohn's (287) and inactive Crohn's (71) (P = 0.0001) and correlated well with the reference standard., Conclusion: Only three of several parameters previously described as allowing Crohn's disease activity assessment actually did so in our study. However, for two of these parameters (EDV, TAMV), there was overlap between the measurements in the active and inactive groups, thus limiting the ability to discriminate disease activity in practice. The degree of overlap for maximum flow volume (TAMV.CSA) between active and inactive disease was considerably less and this parameter may be more discriminatory of disease activity. On the other hand, we found CDAI scores to be accurate in disease categorization. We agree that there appear to be hyperdynamic changes in active Crohn's disease but suggest that Doppler ultrasound assessment does not reliably assess disease activity in routine clinical practice.

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and trans-abdominal ultrasound in the detection of choledocholithiasis, and to compare bile duct stone characteristics using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), MRCP and ultrasound., Materials and Methods: Of 191 consecutive patients referred for diagnostic ERCP, choledocholithiasis was diagnosed in 34 patients using direct cholangiography. The latter took the form of ERCP (n = 29), intraoperative cholangiography (n = 3) or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (n = 2). All patients underwent MRCP and ultrasound examinations and their findings for choledocholitiasis were compared with those at direct cholangiography. Finally, in the 29 patients with choledocholithiasis diagnosed under ERCP, stone characteristics were compared across the three investigations of ERCP, MRCP and ultrasound., Results: Compared with direct cholangiography, MRCP showed a sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of 91%, 98% and 97%, respectively, in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. MRCP resulted in three false-negative and three false-positive findings, four of which occurred due to confusion with lesions at the ampulla. Ultrasound showed a sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of 38%, 100% and 89%, respectively, in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. ERCP revealed a greater number of stones and these were more proximally distributed within the bile ducts when compared to MRCP., Conclusions: MRCP is highly accurate in the diagnosis of choloedocholithiasis and has the potential to replace diagnostic ERCP. MRCP underestimates the number of bile duct stones present., (Copyright 2000 The Royal College of Radiologists.)

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis in a large group of patients with bile duct stones confirmed at direct cholangiography. Also, to compare bile duct stones confirmed at direct cholangiography. Also, to compare bile duct stone characteristics using the three different investigations, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), MRCP and US., Materials and Methods: 191 patients (M:F, 76:115; mean age, 66 years; range, 24-92 years) were investigated by direct cholangiography, MRCP and US. Their final diagnosis as determined at direct cholangiography were choledocholithiasis (n = 34), strictures (n = 47) and normal ducts (n = 110). The direct cholangiographic methods used for diagnosis of choledocholithiasis were ERCP (n = 29), intraoperative cholangiography (n = 3) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (n = 2). The bile duct stone characteristics were compared using ERCP, MRCP and US in the 29 patients in whom stones were exclusively diagnosed by ERCP., Results: Compared with the final diagnosis, MRCP had a sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of 91%, 98% and 97%, respectively, in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. MRCP resulted in three false-negative and three false-positive findings, four of which occurred due to confusion with lesions at the ampulla. US had a sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of 38%, 100% and 89%, respectively, in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. ERCP diagnosed more stones and the stones were more proximally distributed within the bile duct at ERCP when compared with MRCP., Conclusion: MRCP has a high diagnostic accuracy (97%), similar to that at direct cholangiography, in the diagnosis of choloedocholithiasis. It has the potential to replace diagnostic ERCP and select patients with choledocholithiasis for therapeutic ERCP.

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) compared with direct cholangiography in the detection of biliary tract disease., Patients and Methods: MRCP was performed in 100 patients in whom direct cholangiographic correlation (ERCP, n = 98; PTC, n = 9; intraoperative cholangiography, n = 3) was available for comparison. The MRCP examinations were performed using a two-dimensional multi-slice, fast spin echo (FSE) technique and a local surface coil. The diagnoses at direct cholangiography were choledocholithiasis in 30 patients, benign and malignant strictures in 28 patients and normal bile ducts in 42 patients. The nature of the strictures (benign, n = 2; tumour, n = 18; lymphnode recurrence, n = 3; unknown histology, n = 5) was determined by one or more of the following procedures: surgery (n = 8), biopsy (n = 15), cytology (n = 6) and cross-sectional imaging/follow-up findings (n = 3)., Results: MRCP diagnosed choledocholithiasis with a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 99% and accuracy of 97 %. It resulted in two false-negative and one false-positive findings when compared with direct cholangiography. MRCP accurately diagnosed the presence and level of strictures in all patients. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRCP in the detection of bile duct lesions were 97%, 98% and 97%, respectively., Conclusion: MRCP has a high diagnostic accuracy when compared with direct cholangiography in the detection of bile duct disease.