In order to understand the benefits and the right choice of research methods, you must first understand how the diagnosis and examination of the intestine. There are several methods, each of which has its own advantages and purpose. Rectoscopy or X-ray, CT or irrigoscopy, intestinal MRI or colonoscopy - which is better?
Research methods
Modern research methods can accurately determine the cause of pain in the intestine, thereby providing the attending physician with sufficient information in order to prescribe the correct treatment. The attending physician prescribes a bowel examination . Colonoscopy or MRI of the intestines are some of the most popular methods. But today, the doctor and patient have such intestinal examinations:
- Ultrasound and MRI.
- Irrigoscopy.
- Sigmoidoscopy, intussusception.
- Rectoscopy.
- Colonoscopy and endoscopy.
- CT scan.
- Virtual colonoscopy.
- X-ray
Each of these methods is aimed at studying various parts of the intestine or covers the entire length of the intestine and digestive tract, but the most commonly used and effective methods are colonoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, CT, and virtual colonoscopy. Which of these studies, and why it may be preferable, is determined by the attending physician.
MRI of the stomach and intestines. Diagnostic tomography
Intestinal MRI allows you to get a three-dimensional image of the intestine. This study is carried out with an empty intestine, so a cleansing enema is done before the procedure . This type of research is prescribed quite rarely, since the intestine is located in several layers, consists of many bends, which greatly complicates its study using this method. Nevertheless, this method is quite popular, because it does not require any special preparation, is quick in emergency situations and is the best option for emergency examination.
Indications for MRI
It is rather difficult to diagnose intestinal diseases, since it has several departments and visual examination is difficult. With the help of MRI, benign and malignant tumors are detected at any stage of their development, ulcers, bleeding, congenital anomalies, inversion of intestines and stones, obstruction. To detect such disorders and diseases, the MRI method is most effective.
CT scan
A study using computed tomography of the human intestine is performed along with the use of MRI. Computed tomography makes it possible to examine the intestines in layers, making fixed pictures. Such images help to examine the intestines in all layers and leads, perpendicular to the body, while MRI does not always give an accurate image in the examination of the middle layers. But in order to understand which is better - intestinal CT or colonoscopy, it is necessary to consider all methods in more detail.
Colonoscopy
The colonoscopy method is also often used in the study and diagnosis of intestinal diseases. For this, endoscopic equipment is used , with the help of which sections of the large and small intestines are examined with a CCD or a fiber optic camera. Such a camera is attached at the end of a flexible tube that is inserted through the anus. This research method is carried out after a cleansing enema. The colonoscopy method helps the doctor visually examine the intestines, assess the condition of the mucous membranes, the presence of erosion and damage.
Indications for the appointment of a colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is prescribed for suspected or presence of tumor formations, hemorrhoids, narrowing of the intestinal lumen, prolapse of the intestine, the presence of ulcers and polyps, with proctitis. With the help of the fact that the real color image coming from the camera is transmitted to the screen, it is possible to assess the condition of the mucous membrane and the presence of damage and lesions in a particular place. Using this method, ulcers are also cauterized and polyps are removed from the intestinal tissues.
To answer the question: “intestinal MRI or colonoscopy, which is better?”, It is worth considering another innovative method - virtual colonoscopy.
Virtual colonoscopy
Today it is the most progressive method of examination, since it combines the capabilities of computed tomography and MRI, while creating a three-dimensional projection of the intestine, which is very detailed and convenient for the doctor when studying and examining the intestine. Combining the best modern research technologies, a virtual colonoscopy saves patients from undergoing several different examinations.
Advantages, disadvantages and risks of different research methods
Intestinal MRI or colonoscopy, which is better? The table below will help to understand this in comparison.
| Research method | pros | Disadvantages and Risks |
| MRI | - Shows the degree of parietal and transmural lesions.
- Detects lesions and tumors in the walls and outside of the intestine, as well as fistulas.
| - Low image accuracy of inflammatory processes.
- The inflammatory process may be skipped, especially on the mucous membranes.
|
| CT scan | - Displays polyps and other mucosal lesions.
- A good alternative method, when it is impossible to conduct a conventional colonoscopy.
- Effective with narrowing of the intestine or the presence of large tumors.
- It can diagnose abnormalities outside the walls and inner surface of the intestine.
- Detects malignant tumors in the early stages and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
| - There is a risk of small radiation exposure.
- Impossible during pregnancy.
- Not available for overweight people.
- It is not carried out with acute pain and inflammatory processes.
|
| Colonoscopy | - Allows you to more accurately and in detail examine the internal surfaces and mucous membranes.
- It makes it possible to examine in detail the inflammatory processes on the mucosa, their lesions, which are not determined by MRI and CT methods.
Allows you to remove polyps and cauterize ulcers during the examination.
| - Possible intestinal damage.
- There is a chance to cause an attack of appendicitis.
- Risks arising from the use of anesthesia.
- Pressure reduction.
- The possibility of causing bleeding.
- Perhaps general dehydration.
- The occurrence of inflammatory processes in the intestines and diarrhea.
- Infection in the gut.
|
| Virtual colonoscopy | - The clearest and most detailed images.
- Detects and shows narrowing due to inflammatory processes or neoplasms.
- The most accurate and convenient three-dimensional model of internal organs.
| - Risk of exposure to radiation.
- As with conventional colonoscopy, tubes are used to expand the intestines and fill with gas or liquid.
- It does not allow detecting cancerous polyps less than 10 millimeters in size.
- It does not allow to remove polyps or take tissue samples.
|
Intestinal MRI or colonoscopy. What's better?
MRI and CT are fairly accurate non-invasive and easy imaging modalities for examining various parts of the intestine. However, for its conduct, a sufficiently strong bloating of the intestine is necessary, which is achieved by filling it with water or by taking oral contrast agents. Both of these methods give a good idea of the state of the intestine outside the inner surface. Often, the results of MRI studies are a direction for conducting a colonoscopy, with the aim of a more detailed study of changes in the intestinal mucosa. MRI and CT are diagnostic methods and do not allow the study of the internal mucous membranes, and also are not medical procedures and cannot provide the ability to remove polyps or take samples of intestinal tissue.
Colonoscopy reduces the percentage of cancer in the colon and left part of the colon, but it is a rather dangerous method with multiple side effects, but it helps to examine the inside of the intestines in detail. It precisely determines their condition, the presence of inflammatory processes, polyps, which cannot be determined with other types of studies. It allows not only to diagnose, but also to remove polyps, preventing their degeneration into cancerous tumors. Cauterization of ulcerative formations and sampling of intestinal mucosa for further analysis is another advantage of the colonoscopy method.
Virtual colonoscopy or intestinal MRI are diagnostic tests. But virtual colonoscopy has a more complete and accurate image. Combines the advantages of both MRI and computed tomography. This is the most modern method for examining the intestines, diagnosing diseases and lesions. However, just like these methods, it does not allow physical interventions.
When asked about which is better, an intestinal CT scan or colonoscopy, doctors believe that the second method is certainly more informative. And it allows a wider spectrum to identify diseases, studying the necessary sections and bends and even remove some diseases during the examination, however, such an advantage of colonoscopy over MRI and CT is revealed only in the presence of diseases that are on the internal walls of the intestine and are visually determined. In the case when the disease or disorder is located inside the walls and is not visually detected or located outside the intestine, then research methods such as MRI, computed tomography, or virtual colonoscopy are clearly used.