8 Contemporary radiological examination of the small bowel

Abstract

There are clinical data suggesting that the intubation method (enteroclysis) is the most accurate form of examining the small bowel. The diagnostic accuracy of small bowel enema is generally found superior to that of the tubeless method. Despite the growing interest in small bowel enema this procedure has not yet become the prevailing method in Western countries. However, due to further developments in sonde or push enteroscopy in which 300 cm of the small bowel can be visualized, it is of utmost importance to perform state of the art radiological small bowel enteroclysis investigation, otherwise the bright lights from enteroscopy will rapidly illuminate the dark corners of the small intestine, leaving no place for radiology.