Images of colonic real-time tissue sonoelastography correlate with those of colonoscopy and may predict response to therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Abstract Background Real-time tissue sonoelastography (EG) is a new non-invasive technique that visualizes differences in tissue strain. We evaluated the usefulness of EG in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) by investigating the association between EG and colonoscopic findings and disease activity. Methods Thirty-seven UC patients undergoing EG and colonoscopy were invited to enroll. EG findings were classified as normal, homogeneous, random, or hard, and colonoscopic findings as normal, mucosal edema and erosion, punched-out ulcer, and extensive mucosal abrasion. Clinical findings were evaluated using clinical activity index (CAI) scores for each patient at colonoscopy. Results On EG, 10 cases were classified as normal, 11 as homogeneous, 6 as random, and 10 as hard. EG findings showed a significant correlation those of colonoscopy (p Conclusions In this small series, EG findings reflected colonoscopic findings and correlated with disease activity among patients with UC.