We present the case of a female patient diagnosed with colonic Crohn’s disease, having a clinical evolution with many recurrences and in whom conventional therapy had failed. The patient was admitted in our department 4 years after the onset of the disease, with an altered general state,diarrhea, malnutrition, fever and fecaloid vaginal discharge. Investigations classified the patient in a severe activity flare of Crohn’s disease (CDAI 329),

Purpose: Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CEH-EUS) for the assessment of microcirculation and the delineation of pancreatic tumors in order to characterize and stage them has only recently become available for commercial use, and few reports have been published. The purpose of the study was the qualitative and quantitative digital image analysis of pancreatic adenocarcinomas using conventional endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)

Background/aims: Transient elastography (TE) is a noninvasive method for predicting liver fibrosis, mainly validated in patients with viral hepatitis. Information is still limited concerning its performance in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. We aimed to assess the value of TE in the prediction of fibrosis stage in NASH as well as the factors determining the discordance between the TE-predicted and the biopsy-proven fibrosis stage in

The evaluation of digestive wall lesions has benefited in latter years from advanced, noninvasive techniques such as contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).This method appreciates the microcirculation in inflamed bowel segments in terms of qualitative and quantitative parameters. Based on precise and reproducible criteria it evaluates the extension and the activity of disease, as well as the presence of complications. Monitoring studies using quantitative

Splanchnic aneurysms are uncommon conditions with an unpredictable and a potentially severe evolution.1,2 The incidence of splanchnic aneurysms is reported to be between 0.1%3 and 10%,4 and they may be rarely associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms.5 Given the high mortality rate (25%-75%), early diagnosis is mandatory.4,6 Therefore, the recommended management is prophylactic surgical treatment or interventional radiologic embolization shortly

Splenomegaly in a common finding in liver cirrhosis that should determine changes in the spleen's density because of portal and splenic congestion and/or because of tissue hyperplasia and fibrosis. These changes might be quantified by elastography, so the aim of the study was to investigate whether spleen stiffness measured by transient elastography varies as liver disease progresses and whether this would be a suitable method for the noninvasive

Objective: Hepatic fibrosis, the principal pointer to the development of a liver disease within chronic hepatitis C, can be measured through several stages. The correct evaluation of its degree, based on recent different non-invasive procedures, is of current major concern. The latest methodology for assessing it is the Fibroscan and the effect of its employment is impressive. However, the complex interaction between its stiffness indicator and the

Background: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is preferred for guiding drainage of pancreatic fluid collections,with a success rate exceeding 90% when fluoroscopy is used. When fluoroscopy cannot be used, drainage can still be performed, but no data regarding the safety of such a procedure have yet been published. Aim: To establish the safety of EUS-guided drainage without fluoroscopic control and to identify criteria for the selection of suitable

Background and aim:Noninvasive serum liver fibrosis markers and liver stiffness could be used as predictors of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients because portal hypertension is related to liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to cmpare the performance of common serum fibrosis scores and transient elastography in diagnosing esophageal varices and to propose a new algorihm for predicting large varices. Methods: 231 consecutive cirrhotic patients

The performance of percutaneous echoguided biopsy in hepatic tumor diagnosis is limited by several factors, among which tumor characteristics such as tumor type, size and location play an important role. Whit all the advantages offered by ultrasound guidance, the overall sensitivity of this method in the tumor diagnosis has remained around 90%.Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) guided percutaneous biopsy is a new developed technique aimed at increasing