Perianal disease in pediatric Crohn disease: a review of MRI findings

Perianal complications of Crohn disease are a common occurrence in children and can result in significant morbidity when not accurately characterized prior to surgical intervention. MRI is an excellent imaging modality for the evaluation of perianal inflammatory bowel disease – allowing characterization and detailed description of perianal fistulas. MRI has many advantages over other imaging modalities for the pediatric patient. Radiologists will benefit from a sophisticated understanding of perianal anatomy, the classification of perianal fistulas, the advantages MRI offers in characterization of perianal fistulas as well as the common and incidental findings that are important in the MRI evaluation of perianal inflammatory bowel disease in children. Perianal fistulas are found at a high rate in pediatric referrals and are more commonly found in male patients.