A NEW study has found that mesenteric fat proliferation detected on magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) can serve as a strong predictor of long-term complications in Crohn’s disease (CD).
Researchers analyzed MRE scans from 175 patients and tracked outcomes over an average follow-up of nearly eight years. About 30% of patients showed mesenteric fat proliferation, which was strongly associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and abdominal surgery related to CD.
During follow-up, more than half of patients were hospitalised, and over a quarter required surgery. Patients with mesenteric fat proliferation faced a nearly fourfold increased risk of surgery and a twofold increased risk of hospitalization, even after adjusting for other disease and imaging characteristics.
Although fat edema was also linked to complications, this association did not remain significant after full statistical adjustment. Other imaging features such as wall thickening, strictures, or fistulas were common but less predictive when mesenteric fat changes were considered.
“These findings suggest mesenteric fat proliferation is more than a bystander in Crohn’s disease—it may be a key marker of disease progression,” the authors noted.
The results highlight the potential of using MRE not just for diagnosis and monitoring, but also for risk stratification, helping clinicians identify patients at greater risk of severe outcomes and tailor treatment strategies accordingly.
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