Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Bowel Wall Thickness and Intramural Blood Flow in Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

lcerative colitis, one types of inflammatory bowel diseases that merely affects the mucosa and submucosa of colon as an inflammatory ulcer. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for its diagnosis. For optimal monitoring of disease activity in UC patients, colonoscopy should be performed on a regular basis. However, repeated colonoscopies represent a logistic and economic challenge, as well as significant burden for the patients. Biomarkers have limited reliability for assessing and grading UC activity. Therefore, cross-sectional imaging modalities, such as trans-abdominal ultrasound (US) are increasingly being used in the monitoring of UC. Our study aimed to provide an extensive overview of the main pathologic features of gut wall vessels and bowel wall thickness at US examination of UC. This prospective case control study was done on 40 patients confirmed to have UC attending to Outpatients Clinics of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Department – Ain-Shams University from Octoper 2018 to Augost 2019. They were divided into two groups: • Relapse group: Include 20 patients with active UC disease.