Current place of capsule endoscopy in Crohn's disease

Diseases of the small bowel can be difficult and challenging to diagnose because of limited accessibility. This is particularly true in small-bowel Crohn's disease, especially when inflammation is isolated proximal to the terminal ileum and inaccessible by ileocolonoscopy. However, because of the emergence of newer noninvasive modalities for better evaluation of the small bowel, some of these challenges are being overcome. A good example of this can be seen with capsule endoscopy (CE), which has the unique capability of directly visualizing the small-bowel mucosa for inflammatory lesions and can help facilitate the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. In this review, we will discuss the importance of a small-bowel evaluation in patients with suspected or known Crohn's disease. We will also focus on the potential utility, as well as the possible risks, of CE in these patients.