Wednesday, October 8, 2014

An upper GI (gastrointestinal) X-ray

Layden was diagnosed with HHT while we lived in Australia. Now that we live in the USA again we have to go through the process of having Layden re-diagnosed, which totally sucks. With this diagnose he will get testing every 5 years to look for the development of AVM's inside his body.  Most doctors are not aware of what HHT is, it is the most commonly misdiagnosed disease. It also requires a large amount of testing. 
Our new team of doctors are starting with an Upper GI X-ray. Not sure why? 
An upper GI (gastrointestinal) X-ray is a safe procedure that uses radiation to take a picture of the upper GI tract. It's also called an upper GI series.
During the examination, a special type of X-ray camera sends beams of radiation through the upper GI tract while a child drinks a thick liquid (barium sulfate), and images are recorded on a computer. The images taken include the esophagus, stomach, and the beginning of the small intestine (called the duodenum).
An upper GI X-ray is used to help find the cause of problems such as swallowing difficulties, unexplained vomiting, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and severe indigestion. It can detect signs of problems such as ulcers, gastric reflux, hiatal hernia, or blockages or narrowing of the upper GI tract.
Like I said, not sure why we are doing this test... 







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