Background/Objectives: Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is increasingly used to monitor ulcerative colitis (UC), but its predictive value remains unclear. This systematic review evaluated the ability of IUS parameters and scores to predict short- and long-term treatment response, remission, and adverse outcomes in hospitalized and outpatient UC populations. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE and Embase were searched for prospective studies assessing IUS as a predictor of clinical or endoscopic response, remission, relapse, or adverse outcomes in adult UC. Two reviewers independently performed screening, data extraction, and QUADAS-2 assessment. Results: Eighteen prospective studies were included: eleven outpatient studies and seven involving hospitalized patients treated with intravenous corticosteroids (IVCS). In hospitalized patients, bowel wall thickness (BWT) was the most consistent predictor of treatment failure, rescue therapy, colectomy, and clinical response. Baseline BWT showed variable performance, but once IVCS was initiated, early BWT change within 48-72 h was the strongest marker of disease trajectory. Non-responders had higher BWT and smaller reductions. A BWT ≥ 4 mm, absolute reduction ≤ 1 mm, or relative reduction ≤ 20% at 48 h reliably identified patients needing rescue therapy (area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.74), 0.71 (95% CI 0.56-0.86), and 0.74 (95% CI 0.60-0.88)). Colectomy risk was similarly predicted: BWT < 3 mm at 48 h was associated with no colectomies, whereas BWT ≥ 4 mm or persistently elevated BWT at day 6 markedly increased risk (Odds ratio (OR) 9.5-fold (95% CI 1.4-64.0) and OR 8.3 (95% CI 1.7-40.0), respectively). Other sonographic features (loss of haustration, increased vascularity) added supplementary but less consistent value. In outpatients, BWT also demonstrated the strongest predictive accuracy. BWT ≤ 3.6 mm at 2 weeks and <3.0 mm at 6 weeks were associated with early endoscopic remission (area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.87 (95% CI 0.71-1.00) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.63-1.00), respectively). Dynamic changes with ≥23-25% relative reduction predicted clinical or endoscopic response (AUROC of 0.81 (95% CI 0.61-1.00) and OR of 13.9 (95% CI 1.13-1986.85), respectively). Persistent BWT > 3.5 mm or minimal reduction (<20% or <1 mm) indicated a low likelihood of long-term remission. Composite vascularity-based indices, particularly the Milan Ultrasound Criteria (MUC), strengthened prediction: MUC ≤ 4.3 or ≥2-point reduction at 12 weeks predicted long-term remission (AUROC 0.88 (95% CI 0.750-0.952) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.68-0.91), respectively), while MUC ≥ 7.7 indicated high risk of treatment failure or colectomy (AUROC 0.77 (95% CI: 0.73-0.82)). Conclusions: Across clinical settings, BWT consistently emerged as the strongest IUS predictor of UC treatment outcomes. Early BWT change within 48-72 h in hospitalized patients and absolute BWT values at 2-6 weeks in outpatients showed high predictive accuracy for response, remission, and colectomy. Composite indices incorporating vascularity further improved prediction. These findings support the incorporation of IUS into early treatment-response algorithms and underscore the need for standardized cut-offs and multicenter validation.

Obstruction differential diagnosis involves tumors, "acute abdomen", and chronic pseudo-obstruction (CIPO). Pediatric CIPO cases have different backgrounds than adults' and impairs development. The cases are rare; diagnosis and treatment are still not well established. Diagnosis is complex; clinical, radiological, molecular, and manometric pathologic data are essential. The performance of broad radiological investigations and manometry is cumbersome in a small intestine. Herein, we present cases of a 14-year-old girl and 11-year-old boy with visceral myopathies (VMs). Presented cases show unique hardship in the analysis of standing and contrast bedside X-ray images-the colon distension alone speaks to Hirschsprung, and the clinicians could not confirm suspected short-segment disease for a long time. VMs are usually diagnosed up to 12 months of life and accompanied by other organ dysfunctions, which are herein absent. The key features here were also the involvement of the small intestine, lack of distant colon contraction, and for the long-lasting case in the boy, loss of haustration. The initial diagnosis relied on clinical data (vomiting, malabsorption, >6-month obstruction, and uncharacteristic biochemical tests), radiology (lack of tumor, enlargement of diameter, and fluid in small and large intestines), and manometry (presence of propagation wave and of anal inhibitory reflex in recto-anal manometry). Examination of intestinal muscle biopsies involved hematoxylin-eosin, trichrome-Masson staining, and immunohistochemistry. The characteristics were fibrosis, small vacuoles, muscle layer thinning, and decreased expression of smooth muscle actin and desmin. The localization of biopsies was chosen after X-ray examination, due to interruption and with various degree changes. The final diagnosis was put forward after the analysis of all accessible data. The diagnosis of VM underlines the importance of interdisciplinary co-work. An earlier intestine muscle biopsy and well-designed molecular panel might fasten the process of diagnosis. Deeper exploration of phenotype-genotype correlation of various VM presentations in the future is crucial for personalized treatment.

In the last years intestinal ultrasonography (IUS) has increased its role in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), that include Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis. This is due to the fact that IUS is a non-invasive, inexpensive, and well-tolerated examination technique. Furthermore, it allows a real-time diagnosis with no radiation exposure. Usually, convex and linear probes with frequency between 3.5 and 12 MHz are used, also with the Color- Power Doppler. Focusing on CD, the IUS images of clinical interest are: bowel wall thickening (greater than 3 mm), pseudostratification and the wall vascularization. Moreover, IUS demonstrates inflammatory mass, loss of colonic haustration and the complications of the disease, such as stenosis, abscesses, and fistulas as well as other extraintestinal manifestations, such as lymph node enlargement and changes in the appearance of the mesenteric adipose tissue (creeping fat). Oral and intravenous contrast are used to obtain a better visualization of the bowel wall and to increase the diagnostic accuracy of IUS. In particular, intravenous contrast, administered during the procedure, allows to differentiate between active disease (bowel wall enhancement) and the fibrostenotic complications. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) was proven to be useful in the follow-up and the disease recurrence detection. Beyond the support in the initial diagnosis, IUS has an important role in the follow-up of patients with CD, to monitor the response to the medical therapy and to detect possible complications. Furthermore, it can predict the recurrences after surgery, with more accuracy if Color-Doppler is used.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by recurrent episodes of colonic inflammation and tissue degeneration in human or animal models. The contractile force generated by the smooth muscle is significantly attenuated, resulting in altered motility leading to diarrhea or constipation in IBD. The aim of this study is to clarify the altered contractility of circular and longitudinal smooth muscle layers in proximal colon of trinitrobenzen sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mouse. Colitis was induced by direct injection of TNBS (120 mg/kg, 50% ethanol) in proximal colon of ICR mouse using a 30 G needle anesthetized with ketamin (50 mg/kg), whereas animals in the control group were injected of 50% ethanol alone. In TNBS-induced colitis, the wall of the proximal colon is diffusely thickened with loss of haustration, and showed mucosal and mucular edema with inflammatory infiltration. The colonic inflammation is significantly induced the reduction of colonic contractile activity including spontaneous contractile activity, depolarization-induced contractility, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated contractile response in circular muscle layer compared to the longitudinal muscle layer. The inward rectification of currents, especially, important to Ca(2+) and Na(+) influx-induced depolarization and contraction, was markedly reduced in the TNBS-induced colitis compared to the control. The muscarinic acetylcholine-mediated contractile responses were significantly attenuated in the circular and longitudinal smooth muscle strips induced by the reduction of membrane expression of canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channel isoforms from the proximal colon of the TNBS-induced colitis mouse than the control.

Lower dyspeptic syndrome is a bowel disease manifesting namely with pain or sensation of abdominal discomfort and bowel movement problems (changes in the frequency and stool consistency). Symptoms include sensation of intraabdominal pressure and fullness, diarrhoea (with or without pain), sensation of incomplete defecation, constipation or bowel movement problems (with or without pain), irregular stool, collywobbles and bowel content flow (borborygia with spasms), meteorism, flatulency. Prevalence of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the European population is estimated to be 5 to 25 %. In the Czech Republic the total prevalence of dyspepsias is about 13 %. To the pathogenesis of the lower dyspeptic syndrome contribute: 1. abnormal motility, 2. abnormal visceral perception, 3. psychosocial factors, 4. luminal factors, 5. imbalance of neurotransmitters and/or intestinal bacteria and 6. possible inflammatory changes of the intestinal mucosa. Infectious diarrhoea is one of the causes. Functional bowel defects represent various combinations of chronic and recurrent symptoms from the digestive tract which cannot be explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional defect manifesting with abdominal pain, intestinal dyspepsia and compulsive defecations. Subtypes with typical symptomatology are characterized by circumstances which bring about pain and compulsive defecations (morning fractional defecation, postprandial defecation, debacles). Functional diarrhoea manifests with diarrhoea without intensive pain. Spastic obstipation manifests by abdominal pain, obstipation, compulsive defecations are absent, stool is cloddish, fragmented by spastic haustration, or it has a ribbon-form. Changes in the intestinal chemism include fermentative and putrefactive dyspepsia. Among the incomplete and atypical forms the isolated meteorism, irregular defecation, flatulency, abdominal pain--syndrome of the left or right epigastium or the syndrome of the right hypogastrium can be included. In patients with typical set of symptoms the working diagnose of the lower dyspeptic syndrome can be done by general practitioner. Complete history of the disease can reveal possible extra abdominal cause of dyspepsia, recognise alarming symptoms and consider circumstances elevating or lowering the probability of functional problems. Functional bowel problems have usually long-term character and represent clinically demanding challenge. Only few therapeutic regimens are successful and the therapy aimed at the abolishment of one symptom need not bring general improvement. For the clinical studies of the therapy of functional bowel problems significant placebo effect is typical. Quoad vitam prognosis is good, quoad sanationem it is rather doubtful.

Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and UC, is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. The inflammatory process in UC is confined to the mucosa and submucosa and it involves only the colon. In contrast, in Crohn's disease the inflammation process extends through the bowel wall layers and it can involve any part of gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, inflammatory bowel disease of the colon may be associated with complications, such as toxic megacolon, fulminant colitis, acute bleeding, fistulas and abscesses. Radiographic imaging studies are useful for the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, and may be used to assess the extent and severity of disease, rule out complications, and monitor the response to therapy. The double-contrast barium study is a valuable technique for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease colonic alterations, even in patients with early mucosal abnormalities. The earliest finding of UC is characterized by a fine granular appeareance of the colonic mucosa, usually involving the rectosigmoid junction. In chronic UC double-contrast enema may reveal marked colonic shortening with tubular narrowing of the bowel and loss of haustration. The earliest radiographics findings of Crohn's disease are represented by aphthous ulcers. As disease progresses, aphthous ulcers may enlarge and coalesce to form stellate or linear areas of ulceration. In advanced Crohn's disease, transmural ulceration may lead to the development of fissures, sinus tracts, fistulas, and abscesses. Cross sectional studies such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and sometimes ultrasound, are useful alternative tools not only in the assessment of bowel wall abnormalities, but also for the assessment of extraluminal alterations in patients with advanced disease.

The present study was to assess the diagnostic value of hydrocolonic sonography in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). 32 patients with clinical diagnosis of UC or with the symptoms of the disease were examined with hydrocolonic sonography, and subsequently with double-contrast enema radiography. 18 healthy subjects were examined as controls. Special attention was paid to the bowel wall thickness and stratification, the bowel lumen, haustration and peristaltic activity. Mean colonic wall thickness in UC patients was 2.45 +/- 0.5 mm and it was significantly higher than in the controls (p < 0.001). In UC patients the wall was hypoechoic with usually stratification preserved. Hydrocolonic sonography had sensitivity of 90.6% in the determination of the extent of lesions. Hydrocolonic sonography seems to be a valuable modification of the classic sonography, which enables noninvasive monitoring of the large intestine.