Diagnostic imaging and radiation exposure in inflammatory bowel disease

Core Tip

Core tip: Due to the chronic and relapsing nature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), patients are at risk of exposure to potentially harmful cumulative radiation doses in their lifetime. Computed tomography (CT) imaging remains responsible for the majority of this radiation exposure. As well as new reduced radiation CT imaging techniques, radiation-free alternatives magnetic resonance imaging and small intestine contrast enhanced ultrasonography have emerged, offering comparable diagnostic accuracy. In this review we explore the proportion of IBD patients exposed to high cumulative radiation doses, the factors associated with higher radiation exposures, and we compare conventional imaging with newer radiation-free imaging techniques for the evaluation of patients with IBD.