CT ENTEROGRAPHY IN SMALL BOWEL DISORDERS -IS IT WORTH THE TROUBLE?

Computed tomographic (CT) enterography has emerged as useful diagnostic tool for evaluation of small bowel disease. It provides a superior evaluation of the bowel lumen, entire thickness of the bowel wall and also assesses extra-intestinal pathology, giving a more complete picture of the disease than standard contrast enhanced CT of the abdomen. This article explores the diagnostic utility and role of CT Enterography in detecting inflammatory, neoplastic, vascular, and infectious pathologies of the small intestine. Emphasis is placed on CTE's application in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly Crohn's disease, where it provides detailed assessment of mural and extramural disease, disease extent, activity, and complications such as strictures, fistulas, and abscesses. This study evaluated the role of CT enterography in detection of various small bowel pathologies and found that the correlation between CT enterography and final diagnosis was significant with p value< 0.001. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of CT Enterography were found to be 97.62%, 84.62%, 95.35%, 91.67% and 94.45% respectively. Despite concerns regarding ionizing radiation and the need for patient compliance with oral contrast intake, the benefits of CTE—such as its wide availability, speed, and ability to concurrently evaluate extraintestinal structures—make it a valuable tool in clinical practice. The article concludes that while CTE may not replace other diagnostic approaches in all settings, its comprehensive diagnostic capabilities justify its use in majority of patients suspected of having small bowel pathology