PROVIDENCE – Brown University Health has launched an intestinal ultrasound program for children and adults with inflammatory bowel disease, creating what the healthcare system says is the only intestinal ultrasound program in the state for adults with IBD and the first pediatric program in the region.
For those with IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, intestinal ultrasounds offer a less invasive alternative to colonoscopies and CT scans, Brown Health said in a July 30 announcement. The procedures can be performed in a clinical setting without radiation, sedation or bowel prep.
The procedure allows providers to observe bowel wall thickness, blood flow, strictures, fistulas and abscesses, and to monitor intestinal inflammation.
“Our goal is to provide patients with the most effective and least burdensome tools available. Intestinal Ultrasound gives us the ability to assess disease activity in real time, avoid unnecessary procedures and make treatment decisions more quickly, all while improving the patient experience,” Dr. Sean Fine, director of Brown Health’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, said in the announcement.
Furthermore, Fine said intestinal ultrasounds offer immediate results so patients can create care plans faster.
“Intestinal Ultrasound has changed how we care for children with inflammatory bowel disease. Because it is noninvasive and can be performed during a routine clinic visit, it helps families better understand their child’s condition and allows us to monitor response to treatment more closely, allowing Brown University Health to provide more comprehensive patient-centered IBD care,” Dr. Shova Subedi, Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center associate director, said in the release.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a PBN staff writer. She can be reached at kannermascolo@pbn.com.
