{"id":66806,"date":"2024-01-29T10:44:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T15:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/medicine\/?p=66806"},"modified":"2024-01-29T10:48:19","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T15:48:19","slug":"revolutionizing-ibd-care-the-power-of-intestinal-ultrasound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/medicine\/news\/revolutionizing-ibd-care-the-power-of-intestinal-ultrasound\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolutionizing IBD Care: The Power of Intestinal Ultrasound"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNC is on pace to become one of the few sites in the U.S. to incorporate intestinal ultrasound as an imaging technique for managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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For gastroenterologists, getting eyes on the gut traditionally requires timely MRI testing or endoscopy procedures. This means patients grappling with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) must return multiple times to collect the necessary data for managing their treatment regimen. However, a new wave of technological advancements and streamlined training processes are providing GI specialists the ability to assess treatment efficacy and disease progression within minutes.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Long using ultrasound to explore the bowel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\nGastroenterologists, including the University of North Carolina\u2019s Millie Long, MD, MPH<\/a>, and Edward Barnes, MD, MPH<\/a>, are undergoing rigorous training to introduce intestinal ultrasound (IUS) into their repertoire of imaging techniques. UNC is expected to be the first site in the Southeast to offer this cutting-edge management tool.<\/div>\n
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Introducing Intestinal Ultrasound<\/h3>\n

Before, physicians managing IBD relied on stool and blood markers, pediatric growth indicators, and endoscopic signs of bowel healing. With access to high-resolution images of the bowel, provided by the ultrasound, gastroenterologists can measure the thickness of the bowel as a measure of inflammation in real-time during routine appointments.<\/p>\n

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The longitudinal (left) and cross-section (right) views of the bowel on ultrasound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This revolutionary technology can display either the longitudinal or cross-section area of the bowel. Starting from the lumen (middle of the intestine), gastroenterologists can meticulously measure each layer, including the submucosa, muscularis propria, deep mucosa, and more, providing a comprehensive evaluation of inflammation and how the bowel is responding to treatment.<\/p>\n

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Using a Doppler, blood flow can be identified by red and blue coloration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In IBD patients with bowel thickness, \u00a0a specialized Doppler enhances diagnostics. Gastroenterologists can identify blood flow, visualized as blue and red signals on ultrasound, effectively differentiating active inflammation causing the bowel to appear thick from scarring.<\/p>\n

Moreover, this advanced imaging technique enables the detection of abscesses, inflammatory fat, and loss of preservation of the bowel wall layer stratification. The IUS can be completed in less than 10 minutes during a routine care visit. Ultrasound is also beginning to emerge as an endpoint in IBD clinical trials. With these insights, gastroenterologists can refine treatment plans and tailor interventions to address specific manifestations of IBD.<\/p>\n

The new care model does require clinics to purchase an expensive ultrasounds machine with high quality B-Mode, Doppler effect and two transducers. Training gastroenterologists to use the technology can also be a large financial investment. A generous donation from The Loewenthal Family Fund has supported the implementation of IUS at UNC.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe power of philanthropy in medicine is evident by the development of this innovative intestinal ultrasound program,” Dr. Long said. “Gifts such as the one from the Lowenthal Family Fund will change lives for the better, and allow UNC to provide cutting edge care to our population of patients living with IBD.\u201d<\/p>\n

Insight from Europe<\/h3>\n

Although this imaging technique is not common practice in America, specialists in Europe have been using ultrasound as an imaging modality for patients with IBD for a decade. Through overseas studies patients have expressed the use of IUS helps them:<\/p>\n