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.^[1]

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 [edit]

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

Indications [edit]

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 [edit]

• 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 (including Crohn's disease)

See also [edit]

• Upper GI series

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Small bowel follow-through – University of Michigan

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