[Radiologic and endoscopic correlation in Crohn's disease of the colon]

A comparative assessment was carried out in 47 patients with double-contrast irrigoscopy (DCI), colonoscopy and endoscopy, the confirmed diagnosis being Crohn's disease in each of the patients. However, the histological finding of Crohn's disease was established in 19% only of the endoscopic biopsies. DCI enabled a more comprehensive assessment of the entire colon than was possible via endoscopy, since the right half of the colon could be visualized in less than 50% of the patients by the endoscopic method, whereas roentgenologic visualization of this part of the colon was possible in more than 90% of the patients. There was good agreement in respect of parts of the colon visualized both via endoscopy and via x-ray examination. As far as the assessment of deeper mucosal lesions was concerned, radiology proved superior, whereas endoscopy offered advantages in respect of changes on the level of the mucosa.