These results emphasize that extra-intestinal findings are common when performing MRI of the abdomen. A significant proportion of incidental findings are clinically important and have an impact on clinical decision-making. However, these studies did not include the results of subsequent diagnostic work-up to reveal the benefit from detection of incidental findings. The purpose of this study was to Belinostat chemical structure determine the frequency and clinical impact of incidental findings detected at MRI-enterography in patients with known or suspected CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Vejle Hospital part of Lillebaelt Hospital, Denmark. The Department introduced MRI-enterography in December 2003, and a study period from December 2003 to November 2007 was chosen, allowing a minimum of 1 year follow-up after MRI.

All MRI-enterographies performed in the study period were identified in the hospital��s computerized radiology information system, and radiology reports were printed out. Through a systematic review of medical charts we analyzed the clinical impact of incidental findings and compared the MRI findings with subsequent diagnostic procedures. All reports were reviewed independently by the first author. Criteria for inclusion and exclusion MRI-enterographies performed in patients with suspected or known CD having symptoms consistent with disease activity or complications were included in the study. The subsequent analysis focused on incidental findings defined as unexpected findings outside the small intestine not previously known or suspected at the time of referral and not related to inflammatory bowel disease.

Hence, extra-intestinal manifestations of CD (abscesses and fistulas) were not regarded as incidental findings. Examinations performed on indications other than CD, repeated MRI-enterographies, and examination failures because of technical malfunctions or patient discomfort were excluded. In order to minimize selection bias, the study population was restricted to patients with no previous MRI-enterographies. The likelihood of previously unknown findings outside the small intestine is substantially reduced in repeated scans during a short study period. Therefore, in cases of 2 or more examinations performed, only the first MRI scan was included. A total 354 patients underwent MRI-enterography.

Twenty-nine scans were performed on indications other than inflammatory bowel disease, and additionally 2 scans were excluded because of failure to perform the examination. Both patients were unwilling to ingest the enteral contrast. A total of 40 scans in 29 patients were excluded because of repeated MRI-enterographies in the study period. Hence, a total of 283 MRI-enterography Dacomitinib examinations in 283 patients were included in the analysis. A clinical impact was defined as one or more subsequent interventions, i.e.