Separating inflammation from fibrosis in Crohn's patients measuring perfusion with contrast-enhanced ultrasound and Vuebox

Purpose: To examine if there are perfusion differences in fibrotic versus inflammatory lesions in patients with Crohn's disease. Material and methods: Thirty-seven patients with Crohn's disease were prospectively recruited of which 20 were operated, and 17 received medical treatment. Each patient underwent clinical scoring, blood and stool sampling and an ultrasound examination with high-frequency linear transducers and ultrasound contrast. The perfusion analysis was performed using exported DICOM videos with Vuebox (Bracco Suisse SA, Genève, Switzerland). The software fits time-intensity data to a standardized…