Cure8 research brief
Replacing some MREs and colonoscopies with point-of-care intestinal ultrasound could reduce healthcare costs, lower patient exposure to invasive or resource-intensive tests, and shrink the carbon footprint of IBD services.
IBD clinicians and service managers, adult IBD patients (especially those with Crohn's disease), healthcare sustainability planners, and researchers studying diagnostic pathways or health-system impacts.
The authors analyzed a prospective registry of 438 IUS exams (Jan 2024–Oct 2025) at a single Australian tertiary center. Most exams (85%) were in people with Crohn's disease. By using IUS first, the service avoided 199 MREs and 139 colonoscopies; after accounting for the cost of running the IUS service, the reported net financial savings were AU$312,824.
The authors also estimated net reductions in CO2 emissions (≈11,047 kg avoided) and substantial energy savings. How this could affect care For IBD services, integrating IUS could reduce reliance on more invasive or costly tests and lower environmental impact.
These results reflect a single-center service model where IUS was used to triage need for MRE or colonoscopy.
This is a single-center prospective registry from one Australian tertiary IBD unit; findings describe the impact of that locally implemented IUS-first pathway and rely on the authors' cost and carbon-emission estimates. Applicability may vary with local practice, resource costs, availability of trained sonographers, and different carbon accounting methods.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
People with IBD who have no or few symptoms but still have moderate–severe inflammation on endoscopy face uncertainty about whether to switch therapies to aim for endoscopic remission.
The study will test whether routine point‑of‑care intestinal ultrasound changes clinical decisions compared with standard monitoring, which could make monitoring less invasive and more responsive if effective.
IBD patients can have lung involvement without symptoms. Simple spirometry focused on small-airway measures might help detect early pulmonary changes and prompt further evaluation or monitoring.
