Involvement of small bowel in systemic disease: CT and MR imaging finding

Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly MR Enterography, are the standard cross-sectional imaging modalities used to study small bowel involvement in a context of multiorgan disease. Clinical symptoms are generally nonspecific in such cases. Moreover, imaging findings of the different conditions often overlap. However, analysis of the location, distribution of the lesions on the small bowel wall, as well as of the rest of the bowel and of distant organs, may help narrow the spectrum of diagnoses of multiorgan conditions involving both the small bowel and other organs. The purpose of this presentation is to review and illustrate the CT and MRI features of small bowel involvement in systemic disease. Based on the underlying mechanism, we will categorize them as follows: congenital/hereditary, immunologic, infiltrative, vascular, infectious and miscellaneous. •Multiorgan disease may affect the small bowel.•CT and MRI are the optimal imaging modalities to assess the small bowel in multiorgan disease context.•Distribution of the lesions, on the small bowel wall and extra intestinal organs, may help narrow the spectrum of diagnoses.