vomiting

Exam: If child swallows poison, the physician may prescribe a drug to induce emesis.

Involuntary contraction of muscles

Exam: Eating spicy foods can lead to spasm of gastric sphincters.

Stopping, controlling

Exam: overgrowth of bacteria within the small intestine can cause stasis of the intestinal contents.

Tests for the levels of amylase and lipase enzymes in the blood.

Increased levels are associated with pancreatitis

Tests for the presence of enzymes and bilirubin in blood.

LFTs are performed on blood serum(clear fluid that remains after blood has clotted).

Test for microorganisms present in feces.

Feces are placed in a growth medium and examined microscopically.

Test to detect occult (hidden) blood in feces.

This is an important screening test for colon cancer. Guaiac is a chemical from the wood of trees.

X-ray images of the colon and rectum obtained after injection of barium into the rectum.

Radiologist inject barium( a contrast medium) by enema into the rectum.

X-ray images of the esophagus, stomach, and the small intestine obtained after administering barium by mouth.

Often performed immediately after an upper gastrointestinal series, a small bowel follow-through study shows sequential x-ray pictures of the small intestines as barium passes through. 

X-ray examination of the biliary system performed after injection contrast into the bile ducts.

In percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography , the contrast medium is injected using a needle placed through the abdominal wall into the biliary vessels of the liver.

A series of x-ray images are taken in multiple views(especially cross section).

A CT scan uses a circular array of x-ray beams to produce the cross-sectional image based on differences in tissue densities. Use of contrast material allows visualization of organs and blood vessels and highlights between differences in blood flow between normal and diseases tissues. Tomography (Tom/o means cutting) produces a series of x-ray pictures showing multiple views of an organ.

Sounds waves beamed into the abdomen produces an image of abdominal viscera.

Ultrasonography is especially useful for examination of fluid-filled structures such as gallbladder.

Use of an endoscope combined with ultrasound to examine the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

An endoscope is inserted through the mouth or rectum, and ultrasound images are obtained. This test is often used in assessing esophageal, pancreatic, and rectal cancer.

Magnetic waves produce images of organs and tissues in all three planes of the body.

This technique does not use x-rays. It detects subtle differences in tissue composition, water content, and blood vessel density and can show sites of trauma, infection, or cancer.

Radioactive imaging procedure that tracks the production and flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder to the intestines.

HIDA stands for hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid. Cholescintigraphy is another name for thus test, which determines if the gallbladder is functioning properly.

Reducing the size of the stomach and diverting food to the jejunum (gastrojejunostomy)

This is bariatric (bar/o=weight; iatr/o=treatment) surgery for severe obesity. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure reduces the size of the stomach to a volume of 2 tablespoons and bypass much of the small intestines.

Visual examination of the gastrointestinal tract using an endoscope.

A physician places a flexible fiberoptic tube through the mouth or the anus to view parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Visual( endoscopic) examination of the abdomen with a laparoscope inserted through small intestines in the abdomen.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy are performed by gastrointestinal and general surgeons.

Removal of liver tissue for microscopic examination.

A physician inserts a needle through the skin to remove a small piece of tissue for microscopic examination. The average sample is less than 1 inch long.

Insertion of a tube through the nose into the stomach.

Physicians use a nasogastric (NG) tube to remove fluid postoperatively and to obtain gastric or intestinal contents for analysis.

Surgical puncture to remove fluid from the abdomen.

This procedure is necessary to drain fluid (accumulated in ascites) from the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity.