High-resolution Visualization of Intestinal Microcirculation using Ultra-microangiography in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Pilot Study

Background and Aims: Ultra-microangiography (UMA) is a novel Doppler technique with optimized wall filtering that provides high sensitivity to low-velocity blood flows and optimized visualization of microcirculation. The aim of this pilot study was to compare intestinal vascularization assessed by color Doppler signals (CDS) and UMA. Methods: We investigated intestinal vascularization using UMA and CDS in 13 patients with confirmed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A cohort of 28 patients without structural bowel disease served as the control. Results: Microcirculation and dysregulated microcirculation in patients without and with inflammatory bowel disease can be visualized and quantified using UMA. In 83 % of IBD patients and 76% of non-IBD patients, a high resolution of intestinal perfusion could be achieved using UMA. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate intestinal vascularization using UMA in patients with and without structural bowel disease. Quantification and visualization of intestinal vascularization should be further investigated in prospective studies and could help guide our therapy of patients with IBD.