Research News 2025
SciCom Update November 2025
As we approach the end of 2025, the IBUS Scientific Committee is delighted to share several exciting developments and milestones as we continue advancing IUS in IBD care and research.
We’re eagerly anticipating the first results of the Special Populations topical review, covering acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), pregnancy, and perianal disease. These findings will provide valuable insights into the application of IUS across complex and underrepresented patient groups—an important stride toward inclusive, patient-centered imaging practice.
We’re also proud to share that the IBUS Research Gaps manuscript has been accepted for publication in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. This achievement, beautifully led by Cathy Lu and Rune Wilkens, reflects the collective expertise and vision of the IBUS community, outlining the key priorities that will shape the next generation of IUS research worldwide.
Momentum continues across our key multicenter studies:
- USE-IT continues to move forward with 86 active patients enrolled across 15 sites. The recruitment period has concluded, and we are now entering the follow-up phase, which will continue until June 2026. Central reading will begin very soon, marking an important milestone as we start consolidating and analyzing data that will define the future role of IUS in clinical trials.
- EXTENThas now enrolled 32 patients across 12 contracted sites, marking strong progress toward validating IUS as a tool for assessing bowel damage in Crohn’s disease. With additional sites preparing to open, recruitment is steadily advancing thanks to your collaboration and commitment.
We’re also thrilled to invite you to our next IBUS SciCom Webinar (#4)on December 17th, 2025, at 14:00 CET, titled “IUS Entering Guidelines: Role and Challenges.” This session will feature expert presentations from Torsten Kucharzik, Kerri Novak, and Gauraang Bhatnagar, exploring how IUS is being integrated into international guidelines and what this means for future clinical implementation.
Looking ahead, we’re preparing to launch a new interactive platform—a space where members will be able to share proposals for IUS studies following SciCom approval, fostering global collaboration and joint innovation in IUS research. This will mark a major step toward a more connected, agile, and community-driven research ecosystem.
As 2025 draws to a close, we wish you all a wonderful end of the year and look forward to what promises to be an exciting 2026—starting with the announcement of the ECCO–IBUS Grant during the General Assembly at ECCO!
Thank you, as always, for your continued engagement, insight, and dedication. Together, we are shaping the future of intestinal ultrasound for patients around the world.
SciCom Update July 2025
As we move through 2025, the IBUS Scientific Committee is pleased to share exciting progress across our initiatives and preview what’s next on the horizon.
We’re proud to announce the full recruitment of the USE-IT trial—a major milestone that brings us one step closer to expanding the evidence base for IUS in clinical trials. A heartfelt thank you to all participating sites, investigators, and especially the patients, for making this achievement possible.
Momentum continues to build around the EXTENT study, with more and more sites opening and patient recruitment steadily increasing. We’re excited to soon share the full results from the first part of the project: a consensus on converting the Lemann Index, based on MR enterography, into IUS. This is a vital step forward, made possible by your ongoing collaboration and commitment.
Our Scientific Workshop on Special Populations (ASUC, pregnancy and transperineal US) is already underway, sparking meaningful dialogue on this important and complex topic. This is just the beginning—further workshops are planned, and we’re also looking forward to sharing the final results of the “Research Gaps” project later this year.
A recent highlight was our SciCom Webinar on scoring tools in UC and CD, featuring excellent talks by Gabriele Dragoni, Chris Ma, and Christophe Teichert. Thank you to all our speakers and participants for making it such a valuable session. If you missed it, the recording is available on the IBUS website.
And we’re not slowing down—mark your calendars for November, when we’ll host our next webinar:“The place of IUS in the new ECCO-ESGAR-IBUS guidelines on IBD diagnosis and monitoring.”This session will explore how imaging—especially IUS—is shaping the future of IBD care in the treat-to-target era, with its role continuing to grow across clinical practice and research.
As many of you take a well-earned break in the coming months, we wish you a restful and fulfilling time, wherever you are in the world. We look forward to reconnecting at UEGW or during our next SciCom webinar.
Thank you, as always, for your engagement and support. It is your energy, insight, and dedication that continue to drive IBUS forward.
SciCom Update April 2025
As we step further into 2025, we’re excited to share some of the Scientific Committee’s recent milestones and what’s coming next for the IBUS community.
First, a warm welcome to our new members Mirella Fraquelli (Italy), Cathy Lu (Canada), and Shintaro Shagami (Japan) — we’re thrilled to have you on board! And a heartfelt thank you to Michael Winter for his valuable contributions and dedication during his term in SciCom the past years.
Mirella Fraquelli
Cathy Lu
Shintaro Sagami
We’ve had a strong start to the year. The USE-IT study (focussing on a new IUS disease activity score for Crohn’s disease) is progressing well—stay tuned as we move closer to sharing its promising results. Meanwhile, the EXTENT study (capturing bowel damage in Crohn’s disease) has entered its next phase, with multiple sites now open and the first patients successfully recruited.
Important, we recently launched our Scientific Workshop on Special Populations, a key step toward building consensus in this important area. With nearly 70 applications and only 15 selected participants, the interest was overwhelming. If you weren’t selected this time, don’t worry—more opportunities are on the way.
We’re also proud to announce a new SciCom webinar focusing on scoring tools in UC and CD and their translation into clinical trials—a critical topic that bridges innovation and real-world impact. Stay tuned and register timely through the IBUS newsletters and on the IBUS website.
Finally, a big congratulations to Polychronic Pavlidis, winner of the ECCO-IBUS grant, for an exciting study “Intestinal ultrasound for the monitoring of bowel inflammation in PSC associated IBD”. We’re looking forward to seeing this important work unfold.
We hope to connect with many of you at DDW or during our next SciCom webinar. Until then, thank you for your continued engagement—your energy and insights are what drive IBUS forward.
Research News 2024
SciCom Update December 2024
Season’s Greetings from the IBUS Scientific Committee!
As 2024 comes to a close, we are thrilled to reflect on a year filled with innovation and collaboration in the world of IUS. Thanks to the IBUS-Pfizer grant, we received 25 inspiring applications, with three exceptional projects selected to drive IUS research forward. The ECCO-IBUS grant has also generated much anticipation—stay tuned as we reveal the winner soon! Our SciCom webinars were a highlight, exploring key topics like "Research Gaps in IUS" and "Advanced Technology and AI in IUS," sparking lively discussions and future possibilities.
Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be even more transformative. We’re gearing up for two new webinars, continuing our commitment to education and engagement. For the first time, IBUS will convene a consensus on IUS in special populations, setting a benchmark for clinical practice. Additionally, exciting updates are on the horizon for our Helmsley-funded studies, USE-IT and EXTENT, which are shaping the future of IUS in ways that matter most.
As we celebrate this festive season, we wish you joy and success in every aspect of your life—professionally, personally, and of course, with IUS! Let this season be a time to recharge and find inspiration for the new year. Together, let’s make 2025 a year of breakthroughs, collaboration, and shared achievements within the IUS community.
Warm wishes for a fantastic festive period and a wonderful 2025!
The IBUS Scientific Committee
SciCom Update October 2024
We have some exciting updates to share with you from SciCom! We are continually striving to advance research, innovation, and collaboration in the field of intestinal ultrasound. Read on to stay up to date with our latest activities, initiatives, and upcoming opportunities.
A Heartfelt Goodbye and a Warm Welcome
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mariangela Allocca for her dedication, enthusiasm, and numerous initiatives as IBUS SciCom Chair over the past years. Her tireless efforts have helped push SciCom forward in numerous ways, and we are thrilled that she will continue to support IBUS in her new role as IBUS Secretary on the General Board. Additionally, a warm thank you to Tom Goodsall for his engaging contributions over the past years as he steps down from the Committee.
As we say goodbye to these two wonderful contributors, we are excited to welcome Bram Verstockt as the new Chair of SciCom. We are confident that Bram will continue to lead SciCom with vision and passion.
Watch this space! We will soon be opening a call for three new seats within SciCom. This is a fantastic opportunity to join our dynamic team and help shape the future of IUS research.
Grant Opportunities: Apply Now!
Don’t miss out on two incredible grant opportunities currently open for application:
- IBUS-Pfizer Grants: Be sure to apply before the October 1st deadline, as 3 grants of €100,000 each will be awarded!
- ECCO-IBUS Grant: This year, we are thrilled to offer €40,000 in funding. The deadline for applications is November 30th.
These grants are aimed at advancing high-impact research, so if you have a project in mind, now is the time to submit your proposals.
SciComWebinar Series Launched
We are excited to announce the successful launch of the SciCom Webinar Series, with the first session covering Research Gaps in IUS - Current and Future Directions. It was a highly interactive and engaging session, with a strong turnout during the live broadcast and even more tuning in via the on-demand replay in the IBUS Library.
Our next webinar, titled "Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence in IUS", will take place on November 12th. The session will be led by Floris De Voogd and Michael Winter, and will feature expert speakers on topics such as elastography, CEUS, SiCUS, and artificial intelligence. Make sure to mark your calendars!
Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to continue this webinar series and welcome any suggestions for future topics of interest!
Exciting New Projects on the Horizon
SciCom is actively collaborating with the Governing Board and Operational Board on a number of new initiatives for the upcoming months. Stay tuned for updates on exciting projects for 2025, including a novel consensus that will be kicked off soon! Keep an eye out for a call from the IBUS Office inviting members to participate.
Ongoing IBUS Studies
Thanks to the generous support of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, two major IBUS-led studies are underway:
- The USE-IT Trial: This prospective multicenter study aims to develop and validate a standardized IUS score for assessing disease activity and treatment response in Crohn’s disease. With its focus on creating a user-friendly IUS index, the trial is set to revolutionize how gastroenterologists monitor Crohn’s in real-time. The study is designed to be a non-invasive and rapid alternative to current methods like endoscopy and MRI, making disease monitoring more accessible and affordable, particularly for lower-resource settings. It also incorporates patient preferences into its validation process, recognizing the critical need for tools that are not only effective but also patient-friendly. This study holds promise for improving outcomes by enabling quicker, point-of-care adjustments to treatment plans.
- The EXTENT Study: The first stage of the EXTENT study has been successfully completed, including a three-stage Delphi consensus to define how the Lemann Index—typically used with MRI and colonoscopy—can be adapted for IUS. The next phase, a multicenter prospective trial, will assess the accuracy and feasibility of this IUS-based Lemann Index, a vital step toward integrating IUS more fully into clinical practice and future disease modification trials.
These studies are key steps toward establishing intestinal ultrasound as a cornerstone of Crohn’s disease monitoring, offering non-invasive, cost-effective, and patient-preferred alternatives to traditional methods.
Join Us!
SciCom is always looking for fresh ideas, inspiration, and new voices. We welcome your input on future projects and are currently seeking new members to join our committee. If you are passionate about advancing IUS research and innovation, we encourage you to apply - no matter where in the world you are located!
Let’s continue working together to shape the future of IUS and drive scientific excellence within IBUS.
SciCom Update March 2024
We are excited to announce that there will be two SCICOM webinars in 2024. The first will be in June on “Unmet needs and priority topics for future research”, the second in November on “Old and new technologies and their application today and tomorrow”. Keep in mind and attend in large numbers.
Furthermore, we are working to launch the first IBUS Scientific Working Group to which all IBUS members in good standing can apply. if this project is successful, they will be launched at regular intervals, so more and more members will have the opportunity to participate. For more updates, stay tuned.
A small update on Helmsley USE-IT project. Part II has been completed and the results on the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the ultrasound parameters, which are crucial for the development of the intestinal ultrasound score, will be published very soon. Part III is ongoing and 13 out of 17 centres are already active and one third of the patients have already been enrolled.
The three-year Helmsley EXTENT project has started. The objective of this project is to develop an IUS-based Lémann index (LI) to assess cumulative intestinal damage in Crohn's disease.
The first part, involving a Delphi consensus with IUS experts, ESGAR radiologists and researchers involved in the development of the LI to define damage lesions on IUS equivalent to damage lesions assessed by MRE/colonscopy, has just been completed. This will be followed by a cross-sectional study comparing LI measured with IUS and LI conventionally measured with MRE.
The working group on "The role of artificial intelligence in imaging for the diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory bowel disease: A scoping review protocol" has been concluded. The publication is online (PMID: 38081777; DOI: 10.1136/bmjgast-2023-001182).
The working groups on the gaps in the use of intestinal ultrasound in IBD to set the goals for future research in these fields is still in progress, but in the home stretch.
As always, we invite you to actively engage and be intrigued by the IBUS and SCICOM. Our commitment to promoting IUS research in IBD remains ongoing, and this year's research grant offers a further opportunity to explore innovative proposals.
Finally, stay in touch with us as we prepare to unveil the exciting developments that lie ahead. Your continued involvement is invaluable in collectively advancing the field.