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Anyone Have Ct Enterography Done

Roda

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Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

I went to my GI appointment Monday and it was a pretty straight forward visit. The doc liked the way my ferritin and iron was improving and told me I was not showing any signs of malabsorbtion. He mentioned that eventually I would need a small bowel x-ray in particular CT Enterography. I do know what this is (I'm an X-ray technologist), but was wondering if anyone has had it done. This is where we disagree a little bit. He wants me to have one done after I have "had" celiac for 4-5 years. Mind you I have only been diagnosed since really Sept 08 (positive blood work stayed eating gluten for biopsy in Oct. 08), but was undiagnosed since Feb. 2006. I think that should count. He wants me to have this done because of the increased risk of small bowel cancer. I actually appreciate him for wanting to be thorough, but I just think the years undiagnosed should count. Here are some links for anyone wanting to know what it is.

Open Original Shared Link

(if you click on (Full Text PDF) you can read the whole article)

Open Original Shared Link

images.ctisus.com/cta_web/12_07/AR_11-07_CT_Federle.pdf

(on this one the link won't work so just cut and paste to your browser to view article)

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Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
I went to my GI appointment Monday and it was a pretty straight forward visit. The doc liked the way my ferritin and iron was improving and told me I was not showing any signs of malabsorbtion. He mentioned that eventually I would need a small bowel x-ray in particular CT Enterography. I do know what this is (I'm an X-ray technologist), but was wondering if anyone has had it done. This is where we disagree a little bit. He wants me to have one done after I have "had" celiac for 4-5 years. Mind you I have only been diagnosed since really Sept 08 (positive blood work stayed eating gluten for biopsy in Oct. 08), but was undiagnosed since Feb. 2006. I think that should count. He wants me to have this done because of the increased risk of small bowel cancer. I actually appreciate him for wanting to be thorough, but I just think the years undiagnosed should count. Here are some links for anyone wanting to know what it is.

Open Original Shared Link

(if you click on (Full Text PDF) you can read the whole article)

Open Original Shared Link

images.ctisus.com/cta_web/12_07/AR_11-07_CT_Federle.pdf

(on this one the link won't work so just cut and paste to your browser to view article)

If you stay on the gluten-free diet and do not cheat, and feel well and make a good recovery, then your odds of contracting GI cancer is no more than the general public.

I would even go so far as to say it's less likely you'll ever have that problem if you are a compliant Celiac. Doctors love to scare people into having loads of tests done but I know of no other person who was advised to have this done. It also seems strange to have him suggest 4-5 years and only count the time since diagnosis (official). You most likely had Celiac for quite some time so if you are prone to a GI cancer, it's stupid to say wait another 4-5 years for a CT scan. I would think if he were that paranoid about it, he'd suggest running the test now.

Anyway, I wouldn't get too worried about it. Many Celiacs recover and go on to lead healthy lives...probably much healthier than the BK crowd! ;)

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted
  • Author

I wasn't to terribly concerned I actually have or will develop the small bowel cancer and I don't mind having the test done either. It is pretty non invasive, drinking some contrast and getting the iv contrast. I just figured if he was going to recommend it that the years undiagnosed with symptoms should factor in. I see alot of people that come in through the ED I do ct scans on for one reason, and incidently they are diagnosed with something unrelated to why they came in the first place. Cost is not really an issue for me (they are expensive), I'd just have to pay my deductible. What I was hoping for is to hear from anyone who has had one performed specificially the ct enterography (the prep and scanning technique is different from a routine ct abdomen/pelvis scan). It is an interesting topic and in alot of the journal and articles I have read about it, celiac does come up. In my opinion it would seem useful for people still having ongoing problems or for suspected refractory sprue.

  • 8 months later...
Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted
  • Author

I just thought I would post this info here too in case anyone came across this post. I'm having this done probably this week.

You have to drink a total of three bottles of the CT barium (different from the contrast you drink for a regular ct abdomen), one bottle every 20 minutes. Then they place around an 18 guage int into your arm to inject the IV contrast(It is a different concentration from the routine iv contrast too). From what my coworker has experienced doing these scans is that the contrast makes you even more warm to hot as opposed to the regular contrast. The IV contrast goes in at a fast rate so they can get arterial filling.

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