Latent course of Crohn’s disease: the role of tomographic imaging in diagnosis

Crohn’s disease with localization in the upper gastrointestinal tract, terminal ileum, or colon is diagnosed based on visualization of the lesion area using endoscopic methods and histological examination. In cases of damage to the small intestine, when endoscopy methods are not informative enough and the use of videocapsular endoscopy has a number of contraindications, it is advised to use radiation diagnostic methods, such as multispiral computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance enterography, to make a diagnosis.

We present a clinical case of ambiguous clinical manifestations of Crohn’s disease with small intestine and rectal involvement. Tomographic imaging was used to confirm the diagnosis. A 44-year-old patient presented with complaints of non-pronounced abdominal pain, dyspepsia. The lab panel showed indirect signs of malabsorption, an increase in fecal calprotectin. An endoscopic examination with histological verification revealed a picture of proctitis. After performing computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance enterography multiple lesions of the small intestine were revealed. This clinical case demonstrates an atypical clinical picture of Crohn’s disease with jejunal, iliac, and rectal lesions.

The patient had no characteristic complaints; the results of endoscopic and morphological studies were not informative. Imaging by means of computed and magnetic resonance tomography has played a crucial role in the diagnosis and successful treatment.