How Ultrasound is Transforming Inflammatory Bowel Disease Care
Faster, radiation-free imaging helping Scripps doctors track IBD
Faster, radiation-free imaging helping Scripps doctors track IBD
Scripps Clinic gastroenterologists are using a time-tested tool in a new way to help monitor patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In fall 2024, Scripps GI doctors became the first in San Diego County to use ultrasound to diagnose and monitor chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
“We want to help patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis achieve and maintain clinical remission, achieve healing of their intestinal lining, improve quality of life and prevent long-term complications,” says Gauree Gupta Konijeti, MD, MPH, a gastroenterologist at Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines and director of the Scripps Clinic Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program.
How ultrasound helps monitor IBD
While colonoscopies, CT scans, MRIs and lab work are all useful diagnostic tools, they take time to schedule and obtain results. Ultrasound uses low-intensity sound waves to visualize internal body structures. The technology is non-invasive, doesn’t use radiation and requires no bowel preparation, fasting or sedation.
As part of a routine outpatient exam, Scripps Clinic IBD specialists use a handheld ultrasound transducer to scan the abdomen for inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. These images help both doctor and patient make better decisions about potential adjustments to therapy.
“We can actually make real-time decisions at an office visit, rather than waiting for imaging or colonoscopy results,” Dr. Konijeti says. “It’s amazing how much this has changed my practice. We can see what’s going on and so can patients.”
Advanced training expands IBD care
Though ultrasound is widely used in medical settings, gastroenterologists in the US are not typically taught ultrasound techniques and interpretation in medical school. Organizations such as the International Bowel Ultrasound Group and the Intestinal Ultrasound Group of the United States and Canada are working to change this.
Mazer Ally, MD, a gastroenterologist at Scripps Clinic Jefferson in Oceanside, received his certification in ultrasound for IBD in May after completing four weeks of hands-on training in Houston and Tokyo. He describes his new skills as “transformative” for his practice.
“We can determine how inflamed somebody’s bowel is at the time of their visit, because we can’t use symptoms alone to determine severity,” Dr. Ally explains. “There’s nothing better than actually looking at it with the ultrasound probe. We can determine exactly what’s going on.”
A helpful tool with some limitations
Ultrasound does have limitations. Visibility can be hindered by abdomen size, prior surgeries, the location of the disease and even later stages of pregnancies.
It’s also not a replacement for other tests or lab work.
Boosting patient clarity
But Dr. Konijeti and Dr. Ally agree that ultrasound has added a new dimension to patient engagement at checkups.
“It helps us in also establishing trust with our patients, so they see exactly what’s going on as opposed to somebody telling you, ‘This is what the problem is,’” Dr. Ally says.
“We can show them, and we can teach them, which is a hallmark of how we take care of patients in our clinic. Education is power, knowledge is power. We’re here to empower our patients.”
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.