Anand Easan, Devi Jalpa, Antoniou Anna, Joshi Shivani, Stoker Jaap, Lung Phillip, Hart Ailsa, Tozer Phil, Ballard David H, Deepak Parakkal
Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Robin Phillips Fistula Research Unit, St Mark's the National Bowel Hospital, London, UK.
Crohns Colitis 360. 2025 Mar 12;7(2):otaf015. doi: 10.1093/crocol/otaf015. eCollection 2025 Apr.
There is limited patient involvement in radiological research for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (pfCD), despite magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)'s critical role in diagnosis and management. Patient and public involvement is essential for aligning research with patient priorities. This study aimed to gather patient perspectives on the use of MRI in pfCD.
A mixed-methods approach was used, following Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2) guidelines. An online survey, co-developed with a patient representative, included open and closed questions on MRI experiences, advantages, challenges, and the potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated reports. This was followed by a virtual session for further exploration of patient views. Thematic analysis was conducted on the data.
Forty-seven patients with Crohn's disease (37 with pfCD) from 6 countries participated, with 28/37 (76%) completing the survey. Key themes included patient expectations for MRI, preferences for scan intervals, and report content. Most (93%) wanted MRI reports to compare with previous scans, highlighting fistula changes and new abscesses. A majority (57%) preferred MRI scans annually when well, and more frequently after surgery (64.3% preferred scans at 3 months). Emotional relief was associated with MRI improvements, though access to services and report clarity remained challenging. Interest in AI-generated reports was expressed if clearly explained and validated by professionals.
This is the first study exploring patient views on MRI use in pfCD, emphasizing the need for patient-centred MRI reporting and clearer communication. Future work should enhance patient access and validate AI-generated MRI reports.
尽管磁共振成像（MRI）在肛周瘘管型克罗恩病（pfCD）的诊断和管理中起着关键作用，但患者参与该疾病放射学研究的程度有限。患者和公众参与对于使研究与患者优先事项保持一致至关重要。本研究旨在收集患者对pfCD中MRI使用的看法。
采用混合方法，遵循《患者和公众参与报告指南》（GRIPP2）。与患者代表共同开发的在线调查包括关于MRI体验、优势、挑战以及人工智能（AI）生成报告潜力的开放式和封闭式问题。随后举行了一次虚拟会议，以进一步探讨患者观点。对数据进行了主题分析。
来自6个国家的47名克罗恩病患者（37名患有pfCD）参与了研究，其中28/37（76%）完成了调查。关键主题包括患者对MRI的期望、扫描间隔偏好和报告内容。大多数（93%）希望MRI报告能与之前的扫描结果进行比较，突出瘘管变化和新脓肿。大多数人（57%）在病情良好时倾向于每年进行MRI扫描，术后更频繁（64.3%倾向于在3个月时进行扫描）。MRI改善与情绪缓解相关，尽管服务获取和报告清晰度仍然具有挑战性。如果由专业人员进行清晰解释和验证，患者对AI生成的报告表示出兴趣。
这是第一项探索患者对pfCD中MRI使用看法的研究，强调了以患者为中心的MRI报告和更清晰沟通的必要性。未来的工作应改善患者获取并验证AI生成的MRI报告。
