How can adhesions be diagnosed?

  • When the chronic pain of adhesions is involved, it is very difficult to be diagnosed correctly.
  • Diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-ray procedures, CT scans, MRIs, and Ultrasound will notdiagnose adhesions.
  • However, your doctor will have to rule out other medical conditions; and depending upon your symptoms, your doctor will order the appropriate diagnostic tests.
  • If the results of these tests are normal or negative for abnormal pathology, then a diagnostic laparoscopy may be appropriate.
  • A diagnostic laparoscopy is the only test that can confirm the presence of adhesions and/or endometriosis.
  • However, a diagnostic laparoscopy can be a "Catch 22 situation"; because surgery itself can cause adhesions to form.
  • Doctors typically diagnose adhesions during a surgical procedure such as laparoscopy (putting a camera through a small hole into the stomach to visualize the organs).
  • If they find adhesions, doctors usually can release them during the same surgery.
  • Studies such as blood tests, x-rays, and CT scans may be useful to determine the extent of an adhesion-related problem.
  • However, a diagnosis of adhesions usually is made only during surgery.
  • A physician, for example, can diagnose small bowel obstruction but cannot determine if adhesions are the cause without surgery.