Current Progress in Differentiating Crohn's Disease From Intestinal Tuberculosis

Abstract

Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis share similar clinical manifestations and pose significant diagnostic challenges. Inappropriate early treatment may lead to adverse outcomes. In developing countries with high intestinal tuberculosis prevalence and increasing Crohn's disease incidence, accurate diagnostic methods are urgently needed. This article reviews recent advances in diagnostic approaches for both diseases. Simple, non-invasive and highly accurate laboratory tests are available that show promise for early diagnosis. While high-resolution diagnostic models (including artificial intelligence-based models) require more testing, they provide valuable references for difficult cases. Widely used pathological and imaging techniques have incorporated meaningful new indicators while maintaining broad clinical utility. Future research should focus on developing and validating promising clinical laboratory markers, as well as refining diagnostic models for improving real-world practice.