Location Matched Histological Validation of MRI Parameters Relating to Mural Crohns Disease Activity.

Shonit Punwani¹, Manuel Rodriguez-Justo^1,2, Enrico De Vita¹, Alan Bainbridge², Stuart Bloom², Steve Halligan^1,2, Stuart Taylor^1,2

Disease activity in Crohn's disease is monitored based on a combination of clinical scores, biochemical markers and imaging via endoscopy and radiology. However, limitations to the accuracy of these techniques are recognised. Specific findings on MRI have been proposed as accurate markers of inflammation, but have yet to be convincingly validated. The purpose of this study was to validate proposed MR imaging features of Crohn's disease activity against a robust precision matched histopathological reference standard.