Note: this calculator can be used to calculate the simplifed MARIAs score published in 2019. It is not to be confused with the more complex segmental MaRIA score designed earlier. A calculator for the latter can be found here.
Notes
The simplified MARIA score
- The score is calculated using the following formula:
- MARIAs = (1 × thickness>3mm) + (1 × edema) + (1 × fat stranding) + (2 × ulcers)
- The MARIAs is significantly easier to obtain than the segmental MaRIA score since it removes the complex measurements required for relative contrast enhencement (RCE), and replaces most parameters with dichotomic yes/no choices.
- It has been shown that a simplified MARIAs greater than 1 identifies segments with active Crohn’s disease with 90% sensitivity and 81% specificity.
- Scores greater than 2 indicate severe lesions with 85% sensitivity and 92% specificity.
- The MARIAs showed good correlation with the original MaRIA score and endoscopic disease activity index, and was found to be suitable for evaluation of response to therapy.
- As a further advantage calculating the MARIAs does not require contrast-enhanced sequences.
The global MARIA index
- The global index can be obtained by this tool, simply adding the MARIAs in the following six segments:
- rectum
- sigmoid
- descending colon
- transverse colon
- ascending colon
- ileum
- One significant advantage of the MARIAs over the original MaRIA score is that normal bowel segments have a score of 0, and thus do not contribute to the global index. This means that the global score can not be underestimated in patients who had prior bowel resections.
Practical points
- While the MARIAs can be used to assess rectal Crohn’s disease activity, other scoring systems such as the original and modified Van Assche indices exist specifically for this purpose.
Last updated: 2021-10-21