Enterography is an imaging test that uses computerized tomography images and a contrast material to have a clear view of the small intestine. It helps the doctors understand what is causing your condition, what the present state is, and how well you are responding to treatment if you have a health issue. The CT Enterography Scan produces several cross-sectional images of the body, giving a detailed view of the bones, blood vessels, and even the tissues. It is a safe and painless procedure giving accurate results to proceed further with the treatment.
What are the reasons for performing enterography?
Doctors perform CT enterography to have a look at the interiors of the small intestine and enquire whether there is:
- Any bleeding inside the intestine, and if yes, then the source of the bleeding.
- Presence of tumors
- Inflammation of the intestine
- Crohn’s disease and its complications
- Reason for obstruction in bowel movements
- Presence of abscesses and fistula
What happens in an enterography?
The CT enterography works like an X-ray examination. The body is exposed to x-rays, and different parts of the body absorb them in different quantities. Each body part differently absorbs the x-rays, which allows the doctor to view and distinguish them in the image report. In an X-ray exam, the radiation passing through the body makes the bones appear white and the tissues as grey on the image recording plate. However, in CT Enterography, the images of the small intestine are clearer to view.
The X-Ray beams and electronic radiation detectors move around the patient. The beams rotate around the table during the scan, following specific paths. The data captured by the beams get processed through a computer program to get the cross-sectional 2D images of the area. It is similar to slicing the entire image into thin parts to get a better view of the entire body part from multiple dimensions. The results are very detailed, precise, and fast.
How is an enterography performed?
The patient has to drink a few glasses of a contrast material liquid over an hour before the scan. The contrast material helps the radiologist look at the small intestine during the scan. The patient has to lie on the back on a table that moves through the CT Scan Machine. During the enterography scan, another contrast liquid is injected through the vein in the arm. The scanning machine will capture the images while you hold your breath for a second and lei still. It is a completely painless process with no incision or sedation needed. There is no recovery time needed after the test, and the patient can resume all activities as soon as the test is over. The radiologist reviews the scanned images, which helps your doctor proceed with the next treatment steps after understanding the current state.
Radiology Center at Harding is the best facility to go for CT enterography if you live in Morristown, New Jersey. Choosing the most competent facility is important for accurate results, detection, and treatment.
