Research with
International Bowel Ultrasound Group
Treatment targets for IBD have evolved beyond clinical symptoms and remission. The recognition of the importance of healing seen on cross-sectional imaging modalities, including ultrasound is growing, predictive of improved outcomes for patients. IUS is cost-effective, well tolerated by patients and thus easily repeatable. This creates a perfect monitoring tool, yet access to this important innovation is limited in many parts of the world. Increasing the scientific evidence foundation to support the use of IUS is imperative to increase uptake.

Guideline
Intestinal Ultrasound Standardized
Topics & Key Questions
The aim of this publication, is to provide standardized guidance to expert clinicians regarding image acquisition during intestinal ultrasound assessment with the intent of centralized reading (for example, for the purpose of evaluation during clinical trials). The purpose is to best standardized image acquisition, to improve consistency in interpretation.
- Image Acquisition Guidelines
- Bowel wall thickness
- Mesenteric, inflammatory fat
- Echostratification
- Color Doppler Imaging
How we work
Services
Study centres
We offer research consulting and collaboration within the field of inflammatory bowel diseases, mainly Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. We have great expertise in designing studies, defining endpoints and have a large professional network.
We need you!
We are looking for new study centers. Be a part of the IBUS association!
Requirement:
Qualitified staff,
minimum number of Sonography,
Email: jc@bowel-ultrasound.org
New Centers to join soon!

ECCO-IBUS RESEARCH GRANT
2023

KEY DATES
March
|
submissions open
|
October
|
application deadline |
Early 2024 |
successful grant funding announcement, notification will be sent to all applicants |
February
|
official hand-over of award certificate during IBUS members' meeting at ECCO congress in Stockholm, Sweden. |
Application overview
Selection criteria
Requirements
The protocol should be no more than 5 pages in length and include:
- Scientific Aim – clear description of the objectives of the project
- Background/ significance – justification of the importance of the project
- Methods/ research plan – a detailed account of timeline, methodology and outputs
- Budget – accounting of funds
- References
In addition, a curriculum vitae is required.
2022 IBUS-ECCO Grant Winners
#1 - awarded 20,000 euros
- Dr. Shintaro Sagami and team at Kitasato University Kitasato Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Is advanced transperineal ultrasonography in ulcerative colitis useful for predicting the response to induction therapy?
2021 IBUS-ECCO Grant Winners - Congratulations!
#1 - awarded 20,000 euros
- Dr. Jennifer DeBruyn and team from Canada
Intestinal ultrasound monitoring of response to biologics in pediatric Crohn's disease
#2 and #3 – each award 10,000 euros
- Dr. Maarten Pruijt and team from the Netherlands
PredIctioN and cloSe monItorinG of postoperative recurrence by intestinal ultrasound after ileocecal resection in CroHn's disease patienTs: the INSIGHT study
- Dr. Bram Verstockt and team from Belgium
Intestinal bowel ultrasound in acute severe ulcerative colitis, the TABASCO study
2020 IBUS-ECCO Grant Winners
#1 - awarded 20,000 euros
- Dr. Kunal Thacker and team from Australia
Diagnostic accuracy of point of care intestinal ultrasound compared to MRE and/or colonoscopy in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease
#2 and #3 – each award 10,000 euros
- Dr. Cathy Lu and team from Canada
Development of an expert consensus to standardize intestinal ultrasound definitions and reporting for Crohn’s disease non-perianal complications
- Dr. Terracciano Fulvia and team from Italy
Transperineal US in the follow up of patients with perianal Crohn’s disease: compared with MRI
2019 IBUS-ECCO Grant Winner
awarded 20,000 euros
- Dr. Krisztina Gecse and team from the Netherlands
A new ultrasonographic scoring model for stricturing
complications in Crohn’s disease: elastography,
contrast-enhanced and small intestinal contrast
ultrasonography combined (STRICTURE)
Recent important publications (last 5 years)
1. Maaser C, (…) Kucharzik T; German IBD Study Group and the TRUST&UC study group. Intestinal ultrasound for monitoring therapeutic response in patients with ulcerative colitis: results from the TRUST&UC study. Gut. 2019 Dec 20. pii: gutjnl-2019-319451. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319451.
2. Novak K, Maaser C, Wilkens R, Maconi G, Kucharzik T; International Bowel Ultrasound Group. Diagnostic accuracy of MRE and ultrasound for Crohn‘s disease. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Feb;4(2):95-96. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(18)30388-1. PubMed PMID: 30647016.
3. Kucharzik T, (…), Maaser C; TRUST study group. Use of Intestinal Ultrasound to Monitor Crohn‘s Disease Activity. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Apr;15(4):535-542.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.10.040. Epub 2016 Nov 14. PubMed PMID: 27856365.
4. Ungar B, (…), Carter D. Association between adalimumab trough levels and bowel sonography in Crohn‘s patients. \united European Gastroenterology Journal. Accepted for publication.
5. Nylund K, (…), Gilja OH. Interobserver Analysis of CEUS-Derived Perfusion in Fibrotic and Inflammatory Crohn‘s Disease. Ultraschall Med. 2019 Feb;40(1):76-84. doi: 10.1055/s-0044-100492. Epub 2018 Mar 14. PubMed PMID: 29539644.
6. Kucharzik T, Maaser C, Maconi G. Do We Need Activity Scores or Simply Clear Criteria for Intestinal Ultrasound in Ulcerative Colitis? J Crohns Colitis. 2018 Nov 28;12(12):1383-1384. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy167. PubMed PMID: 30496447.
7. Maaser C, Sturm A, Vavricka SR, Kucharzik T, (…), Stoker J; European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] and the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology [ESGAR]. ECCO-ESGAR Guideline for Diagnostic Assessment in IBD Part 1, 2: Initial diagnosis, monitoring of known IBD, detection of complications. J Crohns Colitis. 2019 Feb 1;13(2):144-164. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy113. PubMed PMID: 30137275.
8. Novak K, (…), Kucharzik T, (…), Maaser C. Clinic-based Point of Care Transabdominal Ultrasound for Monitoring Crohn‘s Disease: Impact on Clinical Decision Making. J Crohns Colitis. 2015 Sep;9(9):795-801. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjv105. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PubMed PMID: 26079723.
9. Cravo ML, (…), Palmela C, (…), Baracos V. Lower skeletal muscle attenuation and high visceral fat index are associated with complicated disease in patients with Crohn‘s disease: An exploratory study. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2017 Oct; 21:79-85. doi: 10.1016/ j.clnesp.2017.04.005. Epub 2017 Jul 4. PubMed PMID: 30014873.
10. Carter D, (…), Eliakim R. The accuracy of intestinal ultrasound compared with small bowel capsule endoscopy in assessment of suspected Crohn‘s disease in patients with negative ileocolonoscopy. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2018 Apr 9;11:1756284818765908. doi: 10.1177/1756284818765908. eCollection 2018. PubMed PMID: 29662538; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5894899.
11. Kotze PG, (…), Novak KL, (…), Panaccione R. Real-world clinical, endoscopic and radiographic efficacy of vedolizumab for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Sep;48(6):626-637. doi: 10.1111/apt.14919. Epub 2018 Jul 31. PubMed PMID: 30063077.
12. Wilkens R, (…), Krogh K. Validity of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasonography and Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MR Enterography in the Assessment of Transmural Activity and Fibrosis in Crohn‘s Disease. J Crohns Colitis. 2018 Jan 5;12(1):48-56. doi: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjx111. PubMed PMID: 28981627.
13. Calabrese E, Kucharzik T, Maaser C, Maconi G, (…), Novak KL, (…), Monteleone G. Real-time Interobserver Agreement in Bowel Ultrasonography for Diagnostic Assessment in Patients With Crohn‘s Disease: An International Multicenter Study. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2018 Apr 28. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izy091. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29718450.
14.Novak, K. L., Nylund, K., Maaser, C., Petersen, F., Kucharzik, T., Lu, C., (...) & Wilkens, R. (2020). Expert consensus on optimal acquisition and development of the International Bowel Ultrasound Segmental Activity Score (IBUS-SAS): a reliability and inter-rater variability study on intestinal ultrasonography in Crohn’s Disease. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis
15. De Voogd, F., Wilkens, R., Gecse, K., Allocca, M., Novak, K., Lu, C., (...) & Maaser, C. (2021). A reliability study-strong inter-observer agreement of an expert panel for intestinal ultrasound in ulcerative colitis. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis Smith, R. L., Taylor, K. M., Friedman, A. B., Gibson, R. N., & Gibson, P. R. (2020). Systematic review: clinical utility of gastrointestinal ultrasound in the diagnosis, assessment and management of patients with ulcerative colitis. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 14(4), 465-479
16. Goodsall, T. M., Nguyen, T. M., Parker, C. E., Ma, C., Andrews, J. M., Jairath, V., & Bryant, R. V. (2021). Systematic review: Gastrointestinal ultrasound scoring indices for inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 15(1), 125-142.
17. Goodsall, T. M., Jairath, V., Feagan, B. G., Parker, C. E., Nguyen, T. M., Guizzetti, L., (...) & Ma, C. (2021). Standardisation of intestinal ultrasound scoring in clinical trials for luminal Crohn’s disease. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.