Radiology in the diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Major breakthroughs in catheter and guidewire design as well as improvements in angiographic x-ray equipment currently allow interventional radiologists to diagnose massive life-threatening upper and lower GI hemorrhage and to stop the bleeding safely and effectively using superselective catheterization and microcoil embolization. For chronic or recurrent GI bleeding, when endoscopy is unrevealing or equivocal, barium studies, CT scanning, nuclear medicine studies, and angiography can help determine the cause of bleeding. A multidisciplinary approach, including the gastroenterologist, radiologist, and surgeon, is extremely helpful in managing GI bleeding, particularly in high-risk patients or patients presenting as diagnostic dilemmas.