炎症性腸疾患における腸管エコー

Intestinal Ultrasound：A Key Tool for Non-invasive IBD Assessment and Treatment

要旨●炎症性腸疾患（IBD）の診療において，腸管エコー（IUS）は，寛解導入療法の効果判定や維持期のモニタリング，膿瘍や狭窄などの腸管合併症を有する患者群に対して，非侵襲的かつ迅速に治療方針を決定するための有用なツールである．腸壁厚，壁内血流の増加，壁構造の喪失が診断精度の高い指標であり，評価すべきパラメーターとなる．さらに，IUSは妊娠中や小児，高齢患者などの特定の集団においても安全に使用できる．今後，技術の普及と標準化が進むことで，IBD診療の中核的なツールとしてさらに重要性を増すことが期待される．

　Intestinal ultrasound（IUS）is a valuable tool for noninvasive and rapid decision-making of treatment plans in the management of inflammatory bowel disease（IBD）. It is particularly effective in assessing the efficacy of induction therapy, monitoring the maintenance phase, and treating patients with complications such as abscesses and strictures. Increased bowel wall thickness, enhanced bowel wall flow, and loss of wall stratification are highly accurate indicators that should be evaluated. Furthermore, IUS can be safely used in specific populations, including pregnant women, children, and older individuals. With its widespread use and standardization, IUS is expected to become an important primary tool for IBD management.