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Review
. 2024 Aug 27;60(9):1402.
doi: 10.3390/medicina60091402.

Gastrointestinal Ultrasound in Infectious Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Francesca Aprile  1 , Marcello Vangeli  1 , Mariangela Allocca  2 , Alessandra Zilli  2 , Marjorie Costa Argollo  3 , Ferdinando D'amico  2 , Tommaso Lorenzo Parigi  2   4 , Silvio Danese  2   4 , Federica Furfaro  2
Affiliations
Review

Gastrointestinal Ultrasound in Infectious Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Francesca Aprile et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Infectious diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract often present diagnostic challenges due to the variability in clinical manifestations and overlapping symptoms. Ultrasound imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in the assessment of gastrointestinal pathologies, offering non-invasive and real-time visualization of anatomical structures. This review aims to explore the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract. We discuss the imaging features of various infectious etiologies, such as bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, highlighting characteristic findings on ultrasound scans. Additionally, we provide insights into the utility of ultrasound for the assessment of treatment response. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature and clinical case studies, this review underscores the significance of ultrasound imaging as a frontline modality in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract.

Keywords: bowel ultrasound; gastrointestinal diseases; gastrointestinal ultrasound; infections; infectious diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A 37-year-old-man affected by Campylobacter infection. (a). Bowel ultrasound shows thickening of the right colon wall (5.8 mm) with active inflammation (color flow Doppler signals in both the bowel wall and surrounding mesenteric fat). (b). Presence of lymphadenopathy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A 36 year-old-woman with Clostridium diarrhea. Bowel ultrasound showed colon wall thickening (a) that normalized after adequate treatment (b).
Figure 3
Figure 3
A 76-year-old-male patient was diagnosed with long-term long-term left ulcerative colitis. A bowel ultrasound was performed after the onset of bloody diarrhea during mesalamine treatment. US showed diffuse colonic wall thickening: (a) 4.7 mm in the descending colon and (b) 3.6 mm in the right colon. Active vascularization (a) with free fluid (c) was also found. The biopsies performed during colonoscopy revealed a CMV infection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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