Extra-intestinal malignancies in inflammatory bowel diseases: An update with emphasis on MDCT and MR imaging features

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancers and more specifically in sites affected by chronic inflammation. However, patients with IBD have also an increased risk for developing a variety of extra-intestinal cancers. In this regard, hepatobiliary cancers, such as cholangiocarcinoma, are more frequently observed in IBD patients because of a high prevalence of primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is considered as a favoring condition. Extra-intestinal lymphomas, mostly non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and skin cancers are also observed with an increased incidence in IBD patients by comparison with that in patients without IBD. This review provides an update on demographics, risk factors and clinical features of extra-intestinal malignancies, including cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and lymphoma, that occur in patients with IBD along with a special emphasis on the multidetector row computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging features of these uncommon conditions.

Keywords: Cholangiocarcinoma; Diagnostic imaging; Extra-intestinal cancer; Inflammatory bowel disease; Lymphoma.