How did they look at your small intestine?

[peleburrows]

As per the title

When i had my colonoscopy all the large bowel was fine, which went along with the tests that show i have a 'long stretch' in my small intestine.

But they said that they don't look at the small intestine as the joining is too narrow for the camera........so how do they manage to look at and take a biopsy of the small intestine?

 

[Creepy Lurker]

As per the title

When i had my colonoscopy all the large bowel was fine, which went along with the tests that show i have a 'long stretch' in my small intestine.

But they said that they don't look at the small intestine as the joining is too narrow for the camera........so how do they manage to look at and take a biopsy of the small intestine?

I think the only methods are camera pill, x-ray/MRI/Other medical imaging, or exploritory surgery (which they'd only do in an emergency).

Endoscopic cameras are too bulky and they have a looong distance to travel.

 

[Jennifer]

I assume that's what the barium tests are for. You can see sores or inflammation via x-ray and barium.

 

[peleburrows]

Thanks for the speedy replies

I thought it would be worthwhile/important to have a direct visual and biopsy of the small intestine. i've had an mri fairly recently so if its in keeping with everyone else i'm satisfied

 

[Keona]

They are doing a MRI on me. You cant eat or drink anything after midnight and they give you an IV contrast with medication to stop your bowel from moving.
________
Eunos 500

 

[Jennjenn]

I had a double balloon enteroscopy. It is not a very common procedure from which I have been told but it helped them look at my small intestines. I had a few surgeries a few years back and I am still having great difficulty and also pain in that area. The test showed what the pill cam could not and he also felt that I had a lot of adhesions in the past surgical site and around the area of which they viewed. I would ask your GI about it, possibly even if they themselves do not perform the test they might know of a specialist that does.

 

[kenny]

We spent double time to get that far. It was hard going but with me flipping and flopping for them and a healthy dose of the goofy gas they got a look into the ileum and took a few nubs.

I also had a couple of Ct Scans with the Barium drink and IV barium.

But what was really neat was the IVR machine (Interventional Radiology) Since I had a lg abscess that was fed by a fistula from the end of the ilium they put a percutaneous drain in. There is a valve system on those so you can back-flush them to keep them clean and flowing. I would jump up on the IVR table and they would shoot some Barium into the Perc drain. That would flow into the abscess cavity and through the fistula into my small bowel. The IVR machine is like X-rays only live time on a series of TV panels. Se we could watch the stuff flow around in there and see all the fistulas and where they went. I had that line in me from July to Oct and then another one for the rest of Oct and Nov for a second abscess that showed up. They checked them every 2 weeks to see if the fistulas closed on their own which they did not.

 

[David in Seattle]

I had a capsule endoscopy. Very easy, interesting procedure. You swallow a small camera which takes thousands of pics of your small bowel. They tape a number of receivers to your torso, which pick up the images sent from the camera by radio waves. Mine showed some lesions & erythema (redness). Only real discomfort is having to wear the receiver around your waist to which the camera transmits its pictures for a day, and the pain when they remove the receivers. I had red spots for the better part of 2 months from that last part. Here's a pic of something called a patency capsule, which is passed to ensure there are no blockages prior to administering the camera, which is about the same size. The idea is that the patency capsule is designed to dissolve if it encounters a blockage, which the camera will not do.

You don't actually SWALLOW the quarter, that's just there to convey SIZE :lol2:

 

[Lydia]

I drank barium once. It was gross. It didnt show any disease in my small bowel. Thank goodness for small miracles.

 

[teeny5]

I had an upper GI series with small bowel follow through. At least I think that's what they called it. You drink barium then wait. They take an x ray then you drink more. This goes on until the barium makes it all the way through your small intestine. Took me about an hour and a half. Nothing was there, thank goodness it's only in the large intestine for me.

 

[Entchen]

I also had the upper GI series with small bowel follow through. Clearly, my gears run more slowly than teeny5's do, because I was there for 2.5 hours. It's an easy test, though, as long as you can gulp down that barium. Problems were found in terminal ileum and distal ileum.

 

[Meltric]

I had the small bowell follow test, too. My bowels worked super quick! Less than 30 minutes I think. I was so proud of my active bowels until they took me into another room and officially told me I have crohns.
The test itself was so simple. The barium wasn't so hard to drink, I was expecting so much worse! the upper GI series I found was much worse because they made me drink this fizzy stuff and told me not to burp. IMPOSSIBLE. bubbles of gas were sitting in my throat forcing themselves up. so uncomfortable.

note to anyone who hasn't had this test before: drink LOTS of water and take laxatives right away! I was told after the fact that taking laxatives helps the barium move through. I've never been so constipated in my life. intensely painful.

 

[peleburrows]

I had a capsule endoscopy. Very easy, interesting procedure. You swallow a small camera which takes thousands of pics of your small bowel. They tape a number of receivers to your torso, which pick up the images sent from the camera by radio waves. Mine showed some lesions & erythema (redness). Only real discomfort is having to wear the receiver around your waist to which the camera transmits its pictures for a day, and the pain when they remove the receivers. I had red spots for the better part of 2 months from that last part. Here's a pic of something called a patency capsule, which is passed to ensure there are no blockages prior to administering the camera, which is about the same size. The idea is that the patency capsule is designed to dissolve if it encounters a blockage, which the camera will not do.

the doctor did mention VERY briefly about swallowing a camera capsule but kind of dismissed the idea in case it got stuck, so thats interesting......what was the prep like?

 

[David in Seattle]

the doctor did mention VERY briefly about swallowing a camera capsule but kind of dismissed the idea in case it got stuck, so thats interesting......what was the prep like?

The usual Colyte the night before, no big deal. As to the procedure itself, you just go in, they stick on the round pickups which, well, pick up the signals transmitted by the camera. These are connected to a small receiver you wear in a sling. Then you leave and return later in the day to return the equipment which has recorded thousands of flash pictures of your gut. It's pretty cool technology, actually. My GI suggested barium 1st, mostly because it's cheaper, I believe, but he also said the capsule was more definitive & I had better insurance at the time. A big plus, no radiation with the capsule. Given how much imaging an IBD sufferer can experience in a lifetime (I posted a couple studies on this awhile back, see the bottom of http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=9494&highlight=radiation) I personally am trying to avoid as much of it as possible. As far as the camera getting stuck, of course I know nothing about your situation, but that's why they do the patency capsule 1st, usually the day before you prep for the camera. It's very slightly bigger, so if that one gets through they assume you're good to go, and the patency cap is designed to dissolve if it does get stuck, so it doesn't pose a threat. You might want to follow up & press a bit more for the capsule endoscopy, or at least clarify the dr's reservations.

And don't worry about being able to swallow either pill; they go right down

Good luck!

 

[peleburrows]

Thanks, i'll metaphorically probe further and no doubt be physically probed back!