The evaluation of fibrosis severity in Crohn’s disease is essential for patient management and prognosis, albeit seldom investigated. We validated a MR approach including diffusion-weighted imaging, magnetization transfer and FAIR perfusion to distinguish between moderate and severe forms of fibrosis in a radiation-induced murine model of colitis. The presence of fibrotic tissue and its accompanying vascular alterations induced a decrease in apparent diffusion coefficient and in perfusion, and an increase in the magnetization transfer ratio. This approach could be applied for diagnosis and assessment of intestinal fibrosis in patients.
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