Ultrasound of the stomach and intestines is one of the basic methods for examining the digestive tract. An alternative method is an endoscopy, which is more informative. But, "ultrasound" helps to visualize the antrum of the stomach, which is closest to the pylorus, as well as the initial section of the duodenum - exactly those sections of the gastrointestinal tract, where various pathologies most often occur. Moreover, unlike endoscopy, which is quite painful and uncomfortable, intestinal ultrasound is performed non-invasively and also has a high diagnostic value. Therefore, very often such a procedure is carried out even for children.
TECHNIQUES OF INTESTINAL ULTRASOUND
There are 2 methods for performing an ultrasound of the intestine:
- Transabdominal. The procedure is similar to an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs and is performed through the skin of the abdomen. The main plus is absolute painlessness.
- Endorectal. It is performed using a thin long sensor, which is inserted into the rectum (for greater information content, it is pre-filled with liquid). The method causes a little discomfort, but not the same as with endoscopy, because the sensor, unlike the probe, is thinner.
Sometimes, for an accurate diagnosis, doctors prescribe 2 methods of intestinal examination at once. In addition to the structure of the organ itself, during the study, an assessment of the functional state of the intestine is performed.
HOW IS AN INTESTINAL AND GASTROINTESTINAL ULTRASOUND PERFORMED
Regardless of the gender of the patient, the study is carried out as follows:
- The person lies on his back, taking a comfortable position on the couch.
- The specialist applies a conductive gel to the abdomen.
- By moving the sensor along the abdominal wall, the parameters of the organ are recorded.
For greater information content during the procedure, the patient alternately turns over to the right and left sides.
STANDARDS FOR INTESTINAL ULTRASOUND
If the patient's gastrointestinal tract is working normally, there are no pathologies, the parameters of the intestine will be as follows:
| Estimated indicator | Normal value |
| Terminal section size | 40-60 mm. |
| Middle department size | 70-110 mm. |
| The size of the middle ampulla | 120-160 mm. |
| Wall thickness | from 9 mm. and more |
| Intestinal lumen | narrowed, not widened, well visualized |
| Number of layers of the intestinal wall | 2 |
| Outside wall contours | clear, even |
| Regional lymph nodes | not rendered |
| Foreign inclusions | not found |
| Neoplasms | not found |
If the data in your ultrasound protocol does not correspond to those described above, this does not mean any pathology, because often certain deviations are just features of a particular organism.
ULTRASOUND IS DONE ON A HUNGRY STOMACH OR NOT
If a person does not have obvious problems with digestion, then before an ultrasound of the stomach, he just needs to empty himself on the evening before the procedure. The study itself must be performed on an empty stomach. Otherwise, the doctor will not be able to assess the structure and condition of the organ. Therefore, the last meal before the study should be as light as possible (more on this below), 6-12 hours before the procedure.
INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS
The doctor may refer the patient to an ultrasound of the intestines and stomach with the following complaints:
- bouts of nausea (and vomiting);
- heartburn and belching;
- feeling of dryness in the mouth;
- pain in the abdomen;
- bad breath;
- bowel problems (diarrhea and constipation);
- weight loss for no apparent reason;
- flatulence;
- various impurities in the feces.
There are no direct contraindications to the study. Moreover, the procedure is painless and can be prescribed for children, pregnant women, etc. There is only one limitation - a violation of the integrity of the skin of the abdomen (for example, due to injury).
PREPARATION FOR PANCREAS ULTRASOUND
Ultrasound of the pancreas refers to a comprehensive study of the abdominal organs. Therefore, the preparation for it is the same as before the study of the stomach, liver, spleen, and gallbladder. It consists of the exclusion from the diet (the day before the manipulation) of products that can provoke bloating:
- alcoholic drinks;
- legumes and dairy products;
- raw vegetables and fruits;
- flour products;
- carbonated water;
- bread made with yeast;
- spicy, salty, smoked, and fried foods.
If the patient has digestive problems, then before the ultrasound you need to drink Mezim, Festal, or another enzyme (the doctor will inform you about this). If constipation is observed, an enema or laxative should be given before diagnosis. If a person takes antispasmodics, he must inform the doctor about this and cancel them for a while, otherwise, the decoding of the tests will be incorrect due to a strong distortion of the organ indicators.
The study of the pancreas itself should be carried out on an empty stomach - the last meal should be 6-12 hours before the procedure and consist of light food of the type:
- low-fat hard cheese;
- boiled poultry or beef;
- hard-boiled eggs;
- lean fish, steamed;
- oatmeal, pearl barley, or buckwheat porridge.
STANDARDS OF THE PANCREAS ULTRASOUND
If everything is in order with the pancreas and it functions correctly, then the following data will be recorded in the study protocol:
| Estimated indicator | Normal value |
| Echogenicity | medium (but the older the person, the higher the echogenicity) |
| Structure | homogeneous (possibly with small inclusions) |
| Visibility of parts | отчетливо видны |
| Wirsung's duct diameter | 1,5-2,5 mm., without expansion |
| Vascular pattern | without deformations |
| Body dimensions | 8-18 mm., Head - 18-28 mm., Tail - 22-29 mm. |
It should be understood that the normal parameters of the pancreas in an adult are described above - if a child’s organ is being examined, the indicators may be different and depend on age.
PRICES FOR ULTRASOUND IN THE COMPLEX SVITYAZ
The cost of an ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract in the sanatorium-resort complex Svityaz starts from 550 hryvnias, along with a doctor's consultation. To find out the exact price of the procedure, contact us and make an appointment. Also in the telephone mode, you can get answers to all your questions and consult about treatment in our complex.
REVIEWS ABOUT US
Since ultrasound is a non-invasive, painless diagnostic technique, our specialists almost always receive positive feedback about the procedure.
