Tests and Preps - GI Patients May Need

GI Motility

GI motility disorders disrupt the transport of ingested materials along the digestive tracts. Our team uses all of the latest modalities to properly diagnose each patient and guide treatment. These modalities include high-resolution anorectal manometry, high-resolution esophageal manometry, esophageal impedance pH testing, wireless esophageal pH testing, wireless motility capsule, and sugar tolerance testing.

• Anorectal motility tests
• Esophageal motility tests
• GI tract motility tests

Imaging

• Abdominal ultrasound is an imaging procedure used to examine the internal organs of the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. The blood vessels that lead to some of these organs can also be looked at with ultrasound.
  • Alternative names: Ultrasound - abdomen; abdominal sonogram
  • More information on an abdominal ultrasound

• Barium enema is a special x-ray of the large intestine, which includes the colon and rectum.
  • Alternative names: Lower gastrointestinal series; lower GI series
  • More information on a barium enema

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive way to take pictures of the body. Unlike x-rays and computed tomographic (CT) scans, which use radiation, MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves. The MRI scanner contains the magnet. The magnetic field produced by an MRI is about 10 thousand times greater than the earth's. The magnetic field forces hydrogen atoms in the body to line up in a certain way (similar to how the needle on a compass moves when you hold it near a magnet). When radio waves are sent toward the lined-up hydrogen atoms, they bounce back, and a computer records the signal. Different types of tissues send back different signals.
  • Alternative names: Magnetic resonance imaging; nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging

• Pelvic CT scan is a computed tomography (CT) scan of the pelvis is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the organs inside the pelvis (liver, kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas, and bladder, prostate, lymph nodes, and pelvic bones).
  • Alternative names: CAT scan - pelvis; computed axial tomography scan - pelvis; computed tomography scan - pelvis

• An upper GI and small bowel series is a set of x-rays taken to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Also see barium enema.
  • Alternative names: GI series; barium swallow x-ray; upper GI series
  • More information on upper GI and small bowel series