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World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2014; 20(5): 1180-1191
Published online Feb 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i5.1180
Magnetic resonance imaging in children and adolescents with chronic inflammatory bowel disease
Hans-Joachim Mentzel, Steffen Reinsch, Monika Kurzai, Martin Stenzel
Hans-Joachim Mentzel, Martin Stenzel, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Jena-Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07740 Jena, Germany
Steffen Reinsch, Monika Kurzai, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07740 Jena, Germany
Author contributions: Mentzel HJ and Stenzel M contributed equally to this work; Mentzel HJ and Stenzel M designed and worked in drafting the article; Mentzel HJ wrote the paper; Mentzel HJ and Stenzel M prepared the figures and tables; Stenzel M, Reinsch S and Kurzai M revised the article critically for important intellectual content; Final approval of the version to be published was performed by all authors.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hans-Joachim Mentzel, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Jena-Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07740 Jena, Germany. hans-joachim.mentzel@med.uni-jena.de
Telephone: +49-3641-938337 Fax: +49-3641-938257
Received: October 16, 2013
Revised: December 10, 2013
Accepted: January 3, 2014
Published online: February 7, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Diagnosis of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is partially based on subsequent imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is established in adults for diagnosing IBD. In children and adolescents MRI is not routinely used up to now. This manuscript presents the commonly used magnetic resonance sequences for the evaluation of the GIT in children and adolescents. Techniques to obtain optimal bowel distension by oral intake or by using a nasally placed tube are described. Typical findings of intestinal and mesentery pathology in children suffering from IBD are shown.