title: Efficacy study of the small-bowel examination.
abstract: Retrospective analysis of 1,020 conventional antegrade small-bowel examinations revealed that the variable which correlated most highly with abnormal radiographic findings was the clinical complex of history, physical examination, and laboratory data which prompted suspicion of small-bowel disease. Thirty indications of possible small-bowel disease were divided into groups carrying (a) a high suspicion and (b) a low suspicion of disease. Pertinent abnormalities were revealed by 14.2% of examinations in the high-suspicion group, compared with 4.9% in the low-suspicion group. The individual indications covered a spectrum of 0-34% abnormality. Overall, 9.7% of examinations (99/1,020) revealed abnormalities, but only 6.6% (67/1,020) were pertinent to the clinical problems. The authors conclude that the efficacy of the small-bowel series is directly dependent upon the reason(s) for which it is performed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors