Guide To Diagnosing And Treating Gastritis
Gastritis is a condition where an individual experiences inflammation in the stomach lining responsible for protecting the stomach tissues from being eroded by its acidic contents. An acute case of gastritis is inflammation that comes on suddenly and severely, where a chronic case of gastritis is inflammation that is ongoing for years. Gastritis occurs when digestive juices find a weakness in the lining of the stomach, allowing them to penetrate it and cause inflammation. An individual who contracts a Helicobacter pylori infection can also develop gastritis. Extreme alcohol consumption, tobacco use, thinning of the stomach lining due to age, and routine use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can all cause gastritis. Symptoms of gastritis may include vomiting, nausea, a sensation of fullness, indigestion, bloody vomit, and bloody stool.
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Endoscopy
An individual affected by gastritis may need to undergo an upper endoscopy procedure to properly diagnose their condition. An endoscopy is a noninvasive, nonsurgical procedure used to evaluate the digestive tract. It is performed with the use of a specialized tool referred to as an endoscope, which is a flexible tube equipped with a camera and light on the end of it. The camera transmits real-time video of the inside of the patient's esophagus and stomach to a high definition monitor so the doctor can evaluate the condition of the organs. The physician can also use the endoscope to remove a small piece of tissue from the stomach lining that can be sent to a laboratory for further analysis. The characteristic microscopic findings in granulomatous gastritis patients include multiple aphthous ulcers, thickened antral folds, mucosal nodularity with cobblestoning, serpiginous or linear ulcerations, duodenal strictures, and hypoperistalsis. Microscopic characteristics found in lymphocytic gastritis include apthoid erosions, enlarged folds, and the appearance of small mounds with a crater in the center.
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Upper Gastrointestinal Series Test
An individual who is suspected of having gastritis may need to undergo an upper gastrointestinal series test to help determine the underlying cause of their symptoms. The upper gastrointestinal series test is a radiographic diagnostic test that uses x-rays and a liquid suspension fluid to evaluate the duodenum, stomach, and esophagus. The liquid suspension is consumed by the patient having the test and is either a water-soluble contrast or barium. Images of internal bones, organs, and other tissues are made into images with the use of electromagnetic energy beams during an x-ray scan. The beams are passed through the patient's body tissues to plates specialized to produce a negative image. An upper gastrointestinal series test often contains a fluoroscopy study. Fluoroscopy is a procedure where a continuous beam of x-rays are passed through the part of the body the physician is examining and projects to a TV-like monitor. This allows the physician to see an x-ray video of the body parts while they are in motion. This test helps eliminate other possible causes of a patient's symptoms.
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