[Differential diagnosis of acute inflammatory colon diseases by colonic sonography]

Colon sonography enables imaging of the colon from the beginning of the rectosigmoid transition up to the cecum. Colon sonographic investigations in 29 patients (normal findings n = 15, ulcerative colitis n = 6, Crohn's disease n = 8) with a finding verified by coloscopy and biopsy show that acute ulcerative colitis and florid Crohn's disease lead to different sonographic alterations. Formation of haustra can no longer be detected in the two diseases. In Crohn's disease, the typical sonographically discernible wall layering has been abolished, and the wall is markedly thickened. In contrast to this, the wall layering is preserved in acute ulcerative colitis and the wall is only moderately thickened. The results show that differential diagnosis of acute inflammatory diseases of the large intestine is possible using colon sonography.