Diagnostic utility of computer tomographic enterography for patients presenting with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Computer tomographic enterography (CTE) is gaining approval for evaluation of small bowel diseases. However, the diagnostic yields of CTE for diseases other than Crohn's disease have not yet been well elucidated. The aim of the present study was to determine the diagnostic utility of CTE and to ascertain the clinical factors predictive of the positive diagnostic rate in patients with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms or signs.

METHODOLOGY: The clinical and radiological data of 193 patients with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms that had a CTE examination at Severance Hospital between May 2007 and April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS: CTE revealed positive findings that explained the symptoms in 51 of the 193 patients (diagnostic yield 26.4%). Positive findings of diagnosis included cancer (12 patients), Crohn's disease (10), intestinal stricture/obstruction (9), small bowel bleeding (7), colitis (6), intestinal Behcet's disease (4), intestinal tuberculosis (2) and intestinal fistula (1). According to univariate analysis, the positive findings of CTE were significantly associated with higher segmentated neutrophil count (p<0.001), higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p=0.003), higher C-reactive protein (CRP) level (p=0.008) and lower serum albumin level (p=0.037). Multivariate analysis indicated that elevated CRP level was a significant risk factor for the positive findings of CTE (odds ratio 1.950; 95% CI (1.165-3.265), p=0.011).

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that CTE could be helpful in patients suffering from unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms that cannot be explained by established examinations, especially those with elevated C-reactive protein levels.