Diagnostic procedures at a glance

Endoscopy

  • Gastroscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Endoscopy of the rectum (rectoscopy/proctoscopy)
  • Examination and imaging of bile ducts and pancreatic ducts (cholangiography/pancreaticography and ERCP/ERP)
  • Endosonography (endoscopic ultrasound) of the upper and lower digestive tract incl. tissue extraction (biopsies)
  • Endoscopy of the entire small intestine with balloon endoscope (single-balloon enteroscopy)
  • Video capsule endoscopy of the small intestine

Therapeutic endoscopic procedures

  • Polyp ablation incl. ablation of superficial malignant tumours (endoscopic mucosectomy, EMR & endoscopic submucosal dissection, ESD)
  • Sclerotherapy and rubber band treatment of oesophageal / gastric varices (oesophageal varices / fundic varices)
  • Dilatation of constrictions in benign and malignant diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestine (bougienage and balloon dilatation)
  • Division of oesophageal outpouchings (diverticulotomy for Zenker's diverticulum)
  • Placement of feeding tubes through the abdominal wall into the stomach (PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) and into the small intestine (PEJ, percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy) incl. suture fixation between the abdominal wall and the anterior wall of the stomach (gastropexy)
  • Insertion of plastic and metal stents in the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, colon/rectum, bile ducts and pancreatic ducts
  • Endosonographically assisted placement of transgastric (via the stomach) and transduodenal (via the duodenum) bile duct/pancreatic duct drains or cyst/abscess drains, including placement of stents
  • Endoscopic removal of dead material (necrosectomy) in necrotising pancreatitis
  • Endoscopic solid wall resections (FTRD® system)
  • Endoscopic suture technique (OverStitch® system)

Diagnostic/therapeutic ultrasound procedures

  • Ultrasound of the entire abdominal cavity incl. intestinal and perianal ultrasound
  • Ultrasound of all accessible lymph node regions
  • Ultrasound of the thyroid gland and neck
  • Ultrasound of the vessels (arterial and venous):  all vessels in the abdominal cavity incl. extremities and the extracranial arteries supplying the brain (carotid arteries)
  • Ultrasound with contrast medium
  • Ultrasound-guided biopsy for tissue extraction of all accessible organs in the abdominal cavity, neck or lymph node regions
  • Ultrasound-guided placement of drainage in cysts and abscesses in the entire abdominal cavity
  • External biliary drainage (PTCD)
  • Ultrasound-guided heat sclerotherapy of liver tumours (radio frequency ablation, RFITT)

Functional diagnostics

  • H2 exhalation tests (analysis of exhaled air) to detect lactose, fructose and/or sorbitol intolerance and to exclude bacterial overgrowth as well as to determine the transit time of the small intestine
  • pH-ometry (acid measurement) and impedance measurement of the oesophagus
  • High-resolution oesophageal manometry (pressure measurement in the oesophagus during swallowing)
  • Diagnostic radiological imaging of swallowing (video kinetomatography and porridge swallow) and bronchoscopy (swallow endoscopy)
  • EEG (electrogastrography)

Imaging procedures in cooperation with the radiology department

  • Gastrointestinal passage
  • Functional examination of the bowel (defaecography)
  • Intestinal transit time determination (Hinton test)
  • Small intestine imaging (CT Sellink, MR Sellink)
  • Gastric emptying scintigraphy
  • X-ray, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and its organs