The Digestive Health Institute team uses the most advanced diagnostic tools to accurately screen for and diagnose conditions of the colon, rectum and small bowel so you get answers and any necessary plan of care as quickly as possible.
The best way to keep an eye on your colorectal health is from the inside. To do that, we use the following diagnostic tools:
- Colonoscopy. A scope inserted into the rectum allows us to examine the lining of your large intestine, colon and rectum for polyps, cancer and other abnormalities. Your specialist can also remove any polyps found during the test and send them to pathology for examination.
- Endoscopy. Sending a scope down the throat helps us capture images of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum or beginning of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Some patients may be able to opt for a capsule endoscopy in which a pill is swallowed and it takes images of the small intestine as it passes naturally.
- Enteroscopy. To get a better look inside the small bowel where endoscopes can’t reach, we can insert a balloon-assisted scope in the rectum.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy. Similar to colonoscopy, this uses a flexible scope to examine the rectum and lower portion of the colon, called the sigmoid, for abnormalities and signs of colon cancer. Sometimes we’ll use this test in patients with severely inflamed colons.
- Imaging procedures. X-ray, CT scan and MRI are all tools for seeing the colon and small bowel better.
Your provider will talk with you about the tests you need to screen for or diagnose any conditions in the colon, rectum or small bowel.