Question re thickening

[Tesscorm]

Hoping someone will be able to clear up a question for me

When there is thickening of the intestinal wall, whether it be from inflammation or scarring, is there an 'amount' of thickening that indicates the thickness is reaching a dangerous level?

So, for example, do GIs measure (through ultrasounds, MRE, etc.) that the intestinal wall is xxx millimetres thick opposed to the normal thickness of yyy millimetres? Or, do tests indicate a percentage of thickness increase, ie 10% greater than last time or 10% greater than the surrounding uninflamed walls??

Is there even a 'normal' thickness? Or, do GIs not even look at 'thickness' from this perspective? Do they simply look to see if one section is thicker than another and further details (millimetres, percentage, etc.) are irrelevant?

Thanks

 

[2thFairy]

Oooo, excellent question!

I don't have an answer for you, but good question.

 

[Mom2oneboy]

Tess, does your brain ever stop working??? I'm learning that I don't need to think so much because you will do it for me....LOL. Love your thoughts and questions!!!

 

[Tesscorm]

:redface: I do tend to get a bit anal about the details (excuse the pun! :lol (Just imagine how annoying I am to the nurses giving me results!!) The 'big' picture's just too big for me... I figure if I get enough little pieces of the puzzle, it'll all make sense one day! :ywow:

(Also very lucky that I'm able to jump in and out of here all day long while I'm at work...!)

 

[KazT17]

Maybe they just check the space inbetween is wide enough, rather than the thickness. Or am I on the wrong track here ? I haven't even thought about this before but it is a great question xx

 

[Mom2oneboy]

"Anal" is my middle name along with "control freak" so I totally get it

How is Stephen feeling? Is he out of school now?

 

[Tesscorm]

Think his last day is June 26 or 27 (his grad ceremony is June 26 )

He's feeling good now (or, at least, he hasn't mentioned anything's off to me lately ) and he's gained a few pounds in the last 2-3 weeks... Always a good thing!

 

[Tesscorm]

Kaz - good point... I hadn't thought about it that way! But, that may make even more sense because everyone may have a different 'normal' intestinal thickness anyway...

 

[KazT17]

Lol. I wonder if they take an average thickness or measure the space inbetween, at various points, to gauge if there is a significant difference in some parts. Think I will have to ask next time.

 

[DustyKat]

In our case the diseased portion of the terminal ileum was reported as both the abnormal thickening of the wall of the bowel, given as a measurement of what the bowel wall was as opposed to normal, and the what the aperture of the bowel was at that point.

Dusty.

 

[KazT17]

Apparently the space is called the lumen (daughter is a biomedical scientist! )

 

[Tesscorm]

Thanks Dusty, Kaz!