Intestinal Tuberculosis versus Crohn's Disease: Evaluating the Role of Computed Tomography Enterography in Differentiating the Two

Abstract

Intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) and Crohn's disease (CD) are chronic inflammatory bowel disorders that are frequently misdiagnosed due to overlapping clinical, radiologic, endoscopic, and histologic resemblance. Recent trends indicate a change in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases, with previously low-incidence areas now reporting a continuous rise in incidence. The rising incidence of CD in countries such as India where TB continues to be endemic has made the differentiation of these two disorders a diagnostic challenge. Misdiagnosis leads to delays in initiating effective therapy with increased morbidity and mortality, hence the importance of making an accurate diagnosis at the earliest possible stage. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of computed tomography enterography findings in the differential diagnosis between ITB and CD.

Keywords

• crohn's disease
• computed tomography enterography
• intestinal tuberculosis