Can Gastric Diseases Be Detected Without Undergoing a Gastroscopy?

Gastric disease is increasingly common in clinical medicine nowadays. This type of disease can greatly affect the digestive and absorptive functions of patients. Long-term gastric patients may also suffer from malnutrition, leading to a decline in their physical condition. Therefore, it is essential to promptly undergo examination, diagnosis, and treatment for gastric disease. The main method of gastric examination is gastroscopy. So, is it possible to diagnose gastric disease without gastroscopy?

1. Can gastric disease be diagnosed without gastroscopy?

Yes, it is possible. Although gastroscopy is an accurate and preferred method for examining the stomach, duodenum, and esophageal mucosa, many patients cannot tolerate the discomfort associated with the procedure. In such cases, other examination methods can be chosen.

2. How to diagnose gastric disease without gastroscopy?

Apart from gastroscopy, there are many other clinical methods for diagnosing gastric diseases. The most commonly used method is barium meal radiography of the digestive tract. Patients ingest a certain amount of barium meal contrast agent and undergo examination under X-ray fluoroscopy to detect any abnormalities in the stomach. Additionally, gastric ultrasonography can be performed after ingesting a certain amount of contrast agent. However, these two methods may not be as effective as gastroscopy in detecting small lesions.

3. Common examination methods for gastric disease

The most routine method for gastric disease examination is gastroscopy. Gastroscopy allows doctors to observe changes in the gastric wall mucosa through a camera system inserted into the stomach, making it the preferred method for gastric examination. Other methods include upper gastrointestinal radiography and CT scans. Generally, gastroscopy is used to examine lesions on the inner wall of the stomach, while CT and radiography are used to assess lesions on and outside the gastric wall.