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A small bowel obstruction as seen on CT Average inner diameters and ranges of different sections of the large intestine. [15] The main diagnostic tools are blood tests, X-rays of the abdomen, CT scanning, and ultrasound. If a mass is identified, biopsy may determine the nature of the mass. [citation needed]
The small bowel feces sign results from stagnation of enteric contents within dilated segments of the small intestine. [1] When intestinal motility is impaired due to obstruction, progressive dehydration of luminal contents occurs, leading to the formation of solid particulate matter that mimics feces. [ 3 ]
Through the abdominal wall, organs inside the pelvis can be seen, such as the urinary bladder or the ovaries and uterus in women. Because water is an excellent conductor for ultrasound waves, visualizing these structures often requires a well-filled urinary bladder (this means the patients has to drink plenty of water before the examination).
Invasion of tumours through the layers of the gastrointestinal wall is used in staging of tumour spread. This affects treatment and prognosis. The normal thickness of the small intestinal wall is 3–5 mm, [6] and 1–5 mm in the large intestine. [7] Focal, irregular and asymmetrical gastrointestinal wall thickening suggests a malignancy. [7]
Reduced forward movement of bowel contents results in a build up of pressure within the part of the bowel just before the site of obstruction. This increased pressure may prevent blood flow from reaching the bowel wall, resulting in bowel ischemia (lack of blood flow), necrosis , and eventually perforation.
A Meckel's diverticulum, a true congenital diverticulum, is a slight bulge in the small intestine present at birth and a vestigial remnant of the vitelline duct.It is the most common malformation of the gastrointestinal tract and is present in approximately 2% of the population, [1] with males more frequently experiencing symptoms.
Barium X-ray examinations are useful tools for the study of appearance and function of the parts of the gastrointestinal tract. They are used to diagnose and monitor esophageal reflux, dysphagia, hiatus hernia, strictures, diverticula, pyloric stenosis, gastritis, enteritis, volvulus, varices, ulcers, tumors, and gastrointestinal dysmotility, as well as to detect foreign bodies.
A fecal impaction or an impacted bowel is a solid, immobile bulk of feces that can develop in the rectum as a result of chronic constipation [1] (a related term is fecal loading which refers to a large volume of stool in the rectum of any consistency). [2]