Missed strictures and penetrating complications on CT and MR enterography in Crohn's disease patients prior to anti-TNF therapy.

PURPOSE

Crohn's disease (CD) is characterized by enteric inflammation, often resulting in strictures and penetrating complications, which may alter patient management prior to the initiation of biologic therapy. Our aim is to assess the frequency of missed stricturing and internal penetrating complications in CD patients on computed tomography enterography (CTE) and magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) performed prior to anti-TNF therapy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients from two tertiary centers who underwent CTE\MRE within six months before starting anti-TNF therapy. Patients with prior intestinal surgery, anti-TNF therapy, or radiology reports indicating strictures or penetrating complications were excluded. Two GI radiologists re-evaluated CTE\MRE images for active inflammation, small bowel strictures (SAR/AGA/SPR criteria), and internal penetrating complications. Senior radiologists reviewed CTE/MRE exams with missed findings and identified potential causes of error. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the prevalence of missed findings. Where applicable, comparisons were made using chi-square test.

RESULTS

250 CD patients were included. 239 (96%) exhibited active terminal ileal (TI) inflammation by expert review of CTE\MRE images. Missed TI strictures were identified in 56 patients (22%). 16 patients (6.4%) had unreported penetrating complications, including ileoappendiceal fistulas (n = 6), sinus tracts (n = 6), complex fistulas (n = 4), inflammatory masses (n = 3), ileocecal fistula (n = 1), and abscess (n = 1). There were no significant differences between institutions in the rates of strictures (18/69 vs. 38/181, P = 0.4) or penetrating complications (5/69 vs. 11/181, P = 0.77). 46% of the strictures appeared obvious upon re-evaluation by senior radiologists, potentially implicating a failure to measure associated small bowel dilation. 38% of missed strictures had multifocal areas of luminal narrowing, and maximal proximal dilation was located 10 cm or more proximal to a stricture in 27%.

CONCLUSION

A substantial proportion of strictures and penetrating complications in CD are missed at baseline CTE/MRE prior to anti-TNF therapy initiation, even in specialized centers.