ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To correlate intestinal contrast enhancement and wall thickening with the degree of inflammation in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inflammatory bowel disease was elicited in 39 New Zealand White rabbits by rectal instillation of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to determine bowel wall thickness and intestinal contrast enhancement after the administration of 0.1 mmol/kg of gadodiamide intravenously. MR measurements were compared with the complete histopathologic analysis. RESULTS: MR measurements of bowel wall thickness correlated well with histopathologic measurements in vitro (r = 0.85, P < 0.0001) and with histopathologic evidence of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (P < 0.02). Chronic inflammation was characterized by increased intestinal contrast enhancement (137 +/- 25%) when compared to normal bowel (86 +/- 7%, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MRI accurately reflects inflammatory bowel disease in the rabbit model.
