Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis is a diagnostic imaging test. Doctors use it to help detect diseases of the small bowel, colon, and other internal organs.
In addition to gastric malignancies, CT can also help detect inflammatory conditions of the stomach, including gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. CT angiography is especially helpful for depicting the gastric vasculature, which may be affected by a variety of disease conditions.
What Is an Abdominal CT Scan? An abdominal CT scan uses a special X-ray machine to take pictures of the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, stomach, intestines, pancreas, and adrenal glands, blood vessels, and lymph nodes . A person getting a CT scan lies on a table.
Those studies found that the most frequent misses on the abdominal CT are in the vascular system (blood clots), the bowel, the musculoskeletal system, and the body wall.
IBS cannot be seen on an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or colonoscopy. Patients who see a gastroenterologist for abdominal pain will often have testing and imaging (most commonly an ultrasound or a CT scan) completed to rule out other causes of abdominal pain.
A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, organs, and blood vessels. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays. In standard X-rays, a beam of energy is aimed at the body part being studied.
The most common symptoms of digestive disorders include bleeding, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, pain, nausea and vomiting. Accurately diagnosing digestive disorders involves collecting a thorough medical history and conducting a physical examination.
Frequent discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn could be signs that your gut is having a hard time processing food and eliminating waste. You feel tired more often than not. People with chronic fatigue may have imbalances in the gut.
Abdominal bloating. Abdominal pain. A feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites. Vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier.
A CT scan combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles to produce cross-sectional images. These images are more detailed than a standard X-ray, and are more likely to show an intestinal obstruction.
Conclusions. Air bubbles in the esophagus may be seen frequently in CT scans, but their size and location can vary. The GERD symptoms can arise when a small diameter air column is present within the esophagus, especially in the middle and lower parts.
CT scanning has no part in the primary detection of gastric ulcers; however, this modality has a role in the detection of subphrenic and other collections that may occur after a perforation of a gastric ulcer.
Call your doctor if you have any of these digestive symptoms: Chronic or unusual abdominal pain. Persistent or severe heartburn. Difficulty swallowing.
1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up. Your menstrual cycle is another common cause of temporary bloating. Sometimes a bloated stomach can indicate a more serious medical condition.
Such problems can be the result of bacteria in food, infection, stress, certain medications, or chronic medical conditions such as colitis, Crohn's disease, and IBS. But no matter the cause, anyone who has frequent digestive problems faces daily challenges and potential embarrassments.
We have consistently noticed that small- bowel tumors, both suspected and unsuspect- ed, may be missed on abdominal and pelvic CT scans (Fig. 6). In this setting, incorrect CT technique is often accompanied by radiologist oversight.
In a number of studies, CT colonography has displayed results equivalent to colonoscopy in both cancer and polyp detection. CT colonography has been shown to rapidly and effectively examine the entire colon for lesions.
CT scans show a slice, or cross-section, of the body. The image shows your bones, organs, and soft tissues more clearly than standard x-rays. CT scans can show a tumor's shape, size, and location. They can even show the blood vessels that feed the tumor – all without having to cut into the patient.
Contrast medium makes the structures inside your body easier to see during the procedure. You'll lie on a table that slides into a tunnel-shaped device that takes the x-rays. CT scans can diagnose both Crohn's disease and the complications of the disease.
Reasons for the Scan
CT scans are commonly used by gastroenterologists to verify the presence or absence of tumors, infections, abnormalities, or to evaluate changes in the body due to trauma.
Both US and CT are excellent techniques for confirming or excluding the presence of an abdominal mass, with sensitivity and specificity higher than 95%(11).