Crohn's disease of the small intestine: a review of the radiological appearances in 100 consecutive patients examined by a barium infusion technique.

The radiological features of Crohn's disease of the small intestine are described in a report on 100 patients examined by a barium infusion method. The examination is performed by introducing a large volume of barium suspension through a tube directly into the small intestine. A multiplicity of radiological signs were seen in the majority of the examinations. Discrete and fissure ulcers were present in many cases; longitudinal ulcers, sinuses and fistulae were seen less frequently. Other signs commonly seen were strictures, in many cases with proximal dilatation, thickening and distortion of the mucosal folds, cobblestoning, asymmetrical involvement, thickening of the wall of diseased intestine and good demarcation of normal from abnormal small intestine. Adhesions, skip lesions, gross distortion, a featureless outline of the diseased intestine and pseudo polyps were less commonly seen. The disease was more extensive in patients who previously had resections for small intestinal Crohn's disease.