Dr. Megan Lutz brings intestinal ultrasound to the Department of Medicine and Wisconsin

Megan Lutz, MD, assistant professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is the first provider in Wisconsin certified to offer intestinal ultrasound (IUS) for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Now, as program director of the University of Wisconsin (UW) Advanced Training in IBD sub-fellowship, she seeks to increase the number of Department of Medicine (DOM) providers proficient in the innovative, non-invasive technology, thereby expanding access throughout the region.

“Introducing this technology reflects a commitment to delivering the most advanced, evidence-based care to our patients,” Dr. Lutz says. “It’s an important step forward in personalizing treatment and improving outcomes for individuals living with IBD.”

What is IUS?

Intestinal ultrasound is a point-of-care imaging tool that allows physicians to assess bowel inflammation in real time, without the need for invasive procedures, radiation exposure, or sedation. 

IBD affects millions of individuals and often requires lifelong monitoring through colonoscopy, computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Widely used in Europe and increasingly adopted in leading centers across the United States, IUS offers a faster, gentler, and more patient-centered approach to disease monitoring.

“As a clinician who cares for patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, I see firsthand how burdensome traditional monitoring methods can be,” Dr. Lutz says.

“Intestinal ultrasound allows us evaluate disease activity during a routine clinic visit and make immediate treatment decisions. Patients can also see first-hand what’s going on, and in that way be more engaged in their care.”

Building expertise

Dr. Lutz received her intestinal ultrasound certification from the International Bowel Ultrasound Group (IBIS) after completing a three-part program that included hands-on training at the University of Chicago.

Since then, Dr. Lutz has shared her expertise with two Gastroenterology and Hepatology fellows—Gabby Waclawik, MD, MPH, and Trevor Schell, MD—who are completing the third-year sub-fellowship and hope to incorporate intestinal ultrasound into their own practice.

“This technique is quickly becoming standard of care in IBD management in the US,” says Dr. Schell. “We are lucky to have Dr. Lutz bring it to our division and patient population.”

For both fellows, the immediate and practical nature of IUS makes it a valuable tool in establishing a trusting patient-physician relationship.

“I use it as an opportunity to really educate my patients about IBD, their disease severity, and how we can tailor their treatments to get them feeling better again,” says Dr. Waclawik. “It has brought me ‘back to the bedside’ in many ways.”