This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The small bowel is the most likely source of bleeding in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown source and the most common small bowel cause of such bleeding is due to malformations in blood vessels in the small bowel. These malformations are also called angiodysplasia or vascular ectasias. Current studies for the evaluation of such sources of bleeding have major limitations and risks. CT-angiography (CTA) and wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) are promising recent additions to the existing studies for the evaluation of such sources of bleeding. Both are non-invasive are easily tolerated by the patients. However, we do not know which has higher yield for the evaluation of bleeding from such blood vessel malformations. This research project will help us pick one over the other as being better able to find such sources of bleeding. 30 subjects with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding will be recruited for the study in University of Michigan Health System. A standardized protocol will be followed for every patient. Each patient will then be scheduled for wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) and CT-Angiogram (CTA) on different days. We schedule both tests within a one week period. There is no specific order to the tests being scheduled. The results of the tests will be explained after both tests are completed.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 1380 publications
