Small bowel follow-through

Small bowel follow-through
Diagnostics
The small intestine.
ICD-9-CM	87.63, 87.64,
OPS-301 code	3-13b

A small bowel follow-through, also called small bowel series, is a radiologic examination of the small intestine from the distal duodenum/duodenojejunal junction to the ileocecal valve.

An X-ray examination of the most proximal small bowel (duodenum) is typically done together with an examination of the esophagus and stomach and is called an upper GI series.

Procedure

• Person drinks radio-opaque contrast.
• X-ray images of abdomen are made at timed intervals.

Indications

Pathology of the small bowel is uncommon. Therefore, upper GI and lower GI endoscopy is often done prior to small bowel follow-through.

Categorically, the indications are:

• Negative upper endoscopy and negative lower endoscopy
• Investigation of a small bowel abnormality found on other medical imaging

Specific indications

• Suspected small bowel neoplasm, e.g. small bowel cancer
• Hematochezia
• Positive fecal occult blood test
• Suspected small bowel obstruction that has been managed conservatively
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease)

See also

• Upper GI series

External links

• Small bowel follow through - University of Michigan
• Images of a small bowel follow through - Harvard University