Small bowel stricture is associated with abnormal motility on the cine MRI sequence in patients with Crohn’s disease

Purpose A multiphasic cine sequence performed during magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has been shown to increase diagnostic accuracy of MRE demonstrating limited movement in inflamed intestine in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Our aim was to confirm in our study population that intestinal inflammation was associated with decreased motility and determine if factors suggestive of complicated disease such as the presence of a stricture or fistula were associated with decreased motility on the MRE cine sequence. Methods This was a retrospective study of 59 patients (mean age 40.8 ± 16.1) with Crohn’s disease who had a small bowel lesion on MRE. Two gastrointestinal radiologists independently scored MRE findings using a qualitative, subjective scoring system. Univariate and multivariable ordered logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between cine sequence score, radiologic image findings, and clinical data. Results On univariate analysis, radiologic findings reflecting active inflammation, the presence of a stricture, and penetrating disease were associated with decreased motility. On multivariable analysis, hyper-enhancement, the presence of a comb sign, and global evidence of active inflammation remained associated with decreased motility. Of the factors suggesting complicated disease, the presence of stricture (Odds Ratio 0.40, 95% Confidence Interval 0.17-0.95, p-value 0.038) was associated with decreased motility. Conclusions As previously shown, well-established radiologic findings of bowel inflammation were associated with decreased small bowel motility. In this study, we have added that the radiologic finding of a fixed stricture is also associated with decreased motility.