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Published on September 11, 2023

5 Diagnostic Tests for Digestive Health Problems

Patient and Provider Discussion

Tummy troubles? You’re not alone. Digestive health disorders are common, especially gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lactose intolerance. Receiving the correct diagnosis for your cause of discomfort can help you save time and get the proper treatment.

Do I Need a GI Test?

Gastrointestinal (GI) exams look at your GI tract, which consists of your esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines and rectum. Talk to your doctor to help you find the cause of your symptoms, such as:

  • Bleeding
  • Bloating
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Vomiting or burping up food

Preparing for Your Test

Your doctor will decide which GI test is right for you based on your symptoms. Your medical team will provide instructions to help you prepare for your test to get the most accurate results and explain what to expect during the test. Check with your health insurance provider to understand if your plan covers the test.

1. Barium Swallow Study

A barium swallow radiograph is an imaging test that uses barium and X-ray to check for problems in your upper GI tract made of your mouth, throat (pharynx) and esophagus.

During the test, you’ll drink a liquid barium mixture before receiving a chest and upper abdomen X-ray. Barium makes certain body areas appear more clearly on an X-ray.

Why Do I Need a Barium Swallow Test?

Your doctor will look for:

  • Signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) like ulcers, narrowing of the esophagus and stomach bulges (hernias)
  • Cancer of the head and neck, throat or esophagus
  • Enlarged veins (esophageal varices)
  • Muscle disorders that cause spasms or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

2. Upper GI Endoscopy

Your doctor may suggest an endoscopy to see inside your esophagus and stomach, using a thin, flexible tube equipped with a light and camera (endoscope) put down your throat. An endoscopy can collect sample tissue (biopsy) to test for complications such as Barrett’s esophagus. If your doctor sees a narrowing in the esophagus, they may stretch or dilate it during the endoscopy. This will help correct the problem and improve your ability to swallow (dysphagia).

Why Do I Need an Upper GI Endoscopy?

An upper GI endoscopy can detect and treat GI problems like:

  • Celiac disease
  • Crohn's disease of the upper GI tract
  • GERD
  • Infections of the upper GI tract
  • Swelling (inflammation) and sores (ulcers)
  • Tumors, either cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign)

3. ERCP

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, is a procedure to diagnose and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and pancreas. An ERCP procedure combines X-rays and endoscopy. Your doctor will feed the endoscope through your mouth and throat, then down the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). Your doctor will pass a tube through the scope and inject a dye to highlight the organs on an X-ray to check for problems.

Why Do I Need an ERCP?

You might need ERCP to check for:

  • Bile duct blockages, stones or infections
  • Leaking fluid from the bile or pancreatic ducts
  • Pancreatic duct blockages or narrowing
  • Tumors, either cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign)

4. Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy examines the inside of your large intestine (colon) for gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. It can also help detect polyps to treat and prevent colon cancer.

How Long Does a Colonoscopy Take?

Most colonoscopies take around 15-0 minutes to complete. Your doctor will look at the inside of the colon and rectum with a colonoscope, a long, flexible tube with a light and small video camera at the end.

Are Colonoscopies Painful?

Everyone's colonoscopy experience differs, but most people recall feeling minimal to no pain or discomfort during or after the procedure. You will receive anesthesia to help keep you comfortable.

5. CT Colonography

There are two common screening options for colorectal cancer, a traditional colonoscopy and a computed tomography (CT) colonography (also called a virtual colonoscopy). Your doctor may recommend a CT colonography if you have certain risk factors and cannot tolerate anesthesia or a colonoscopy.

How is a CT Colonography Done?

A virtual colonoscopy uses special X-ray equipment to look for polyps (growths) or cancer in the colon. This test produces detailed 3D images of your entire colon and doesn’t require sedation. The test does require you to take a bowel preparation prior to the procedure.

Colon Cancer Screenings

Talk with your doctor about the colorectal cancer screenings guidelines, types and what to expect. The team at VHC Health Physicians - Gastroenterology is here to help.

Your GI Test Results

Depending on which type of test you receive, you may get the results shortly after your test, or a few days later for more complex test. Your doctor’s office will contact you when your results are available and let you know if additional appointments or tests are needed. If you have a MyVHC patient portal account, you can view the results of your imaging tests online as soon as they become available.

Content Author
Omer Shahab, MD

VHC Health Physicians - Gastroenterology