Paediatric Crohn's disease: a radiological review.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background:

• Paediatric Crohn's disease presents unique diagnostic challenges compared to adults, affecting growing children more significantly.
• Atypical presentations can complicate early and accurate diagnosis of pediatric Crohn's disease.
• Effective management requires understanding disease presentation, complications, and extra-intestinal manifestations in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical and radiological features of paediatric Crohn's disease.
• To discuss available imaging modalities for diagnosis and complication assessment.
• To propose an optimized investigation pathway for children with suspected Crohn's disease.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical and radiological aspects of paediatric Crohn's disease.
• Discussion of various imaging techniques (e.g., ultrasound, MRI, CT).
• Presentation of a suggested diagnostic pathway.

Main Results:

• Crohn's disease in children differs in presentation and distribution from adults.
• Imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis, complication identification, and assessing extra-intestinal manifestations.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration minimizes radiation exposure and patient trauma.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of paediatric Crohn's disease relies on recognizing atypical presentations and utilizing appropriate imaging.
• A structured investigation pathway, emphasizing clinician-radiologist cooperation, is essential for optimal patient care.
• Minimizing radiation and trauma is a key consideration in pediatric imaging for Crohn's disease.