Gastrointestinal Nursing.pdf

Diagnostic Procedures and Tests in Gastroenterology 147the patient to report failure to pass the barium within 48 hours so that appropriatemeasures, an enema or laxative, can be initiated to avoid constipationor obstruction.Barium swallowBarium swallow allows for radiological examination of the oesophagus. Thisprocedure can reveal the presence or absence of strictures, motility disorders,ulceration and foreign bodies. As a diagnostic tool, barium swallow is lesssensitive than endoscopy; if possible, barium swallow should be avoided inpatients with dysphagia.Upper gastrointestinal seriesRadiological examination of the stomach and small intestine involves ingestionof a barium solution followed by an upper gastrointestinal series withsmall bowel follow-through. This procedure allows for diagnosis of diverticula,strictures, hiatus hernia, motility disorders and tumours. Upper gastrointestinalseries is also used in the examination of Crohn’s disease and malabsorptionsyndromes.Barium enemaBarium enema allows radiological examination of the colon. It is a commontest used for the detection of polyps, diverticula and structural changes inthe colon, and may be used for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer and inflammatorybowel diseases.Abdominal ultrasoundAbdominal ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure that can indicate thesize and shape of organs. It can detect any abnormalities of structures orspaces within the abdominal cavity through the transmission of sound waves.Abdominal ultrasound may be useful for initial detection of gallstones, asit involves minimal patient preparation and no radiation. Ultrasound investigationscan also be used to diagnose acute cholecystitis.Computed tomography (CT) scanCT scanners have been used since the 1970s and produce computerisedimages of the body in a series of cross-sectional views. CT scanning is anon-invasive, radiological scanning technique that involves the measurementof differences in tissue density to reflect tissue configuration. CT scanning