Tests to view small bowel

As far as I know the typical test is the Small bowel follow through. They could also do an MRE. The MRE is alot less unconfortable, and the contrast solution you drink before hand can be put in any drink of your choice. 

I'm not really sure which of these is the most accurate. But I think either is open to the proficiency of the technician. 

 

There are two other options, both of which can actually visualize the entire small bowel. One is a pillcam, in which you swallow a tiny camera and it sends video images of the small bowel as it passes through. This may present some risks of blockage, especially if you have a history of strictures or inflammation in the small bowel. There's a patency capsule that you can swallow first that simulates the camera but will dissolve if it gets stuck.

The second method is a newer approach, called a double balloon enteroscopy. This is an upper endoscopy type method, but using a new tool which gathers up the small bowel in sections, and allows the DR to visualize the small bowel and to take biopsies if necessary. It looks like an awesome development, but I don't think its being done in many places and it frankly freaks me out to think about what's going on during this procedure. Someone here on the forum had this done in the last year or so and was very pleased with the result.

Actually, the double balloon endoscopy involves both an upper endoscopy and a lower endoscopy (colonoscopy plus). Our small intestine is some 20 feet long and in some ways it is much like a slinky in order to be able to fit in our abdomen.

The double balloon endoscopy crawls along the digestive tract including the small bowel somewhat like a caterpillar stretching out the length of the intestine in front of it for good observation and "tucking" the intestine it has already examined behind it much like tightening up the slinky. Any abberations seen can be "marked" in a manner that can be observed from inside and outside the intestine as well as to mark the last stretch observed so that they can determine when the lower scope has reached the final area the upper scope reached.

Biopsies and polyp removal can be done just as in "regular" scopes. Both scopes are NOT inserted at the same time. One scope is done, is removed, and then the other scope inserted. I'm not sure of the time lapse between them. If it is determined surgery is needed the markings of the abberrant areas is clearly seen by the surgeon during surgery.

A rather simplistic description of the procedure but hopefully clear enough.