Small Bowel Endoscopy
A small bowel endoscopy is a procedure that examines the middle part of your digestive tract using a flexible camera scope. During this test, your doctor either uses a thin, lighted tube with a camera or has you swallow a pill-sized camera that takes detailed pictures of your small intestine, helping find the cause of symptoms like unexplained bleeding, abdominal pain, or digestion problems.
{"A small bowel endoscopy examines the middle section of your intestines","It helps diagnose unexplained bleeding, pain, or suspected small bowel diseases","The procedure may use a camera capsule you swallow or a flexible scope"}
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 111830-6
- Short code
- SBOWELENDO
- Synonyms
- Background information SB Endscpy
- Category
- cardiac
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Not applicable - this is a procedural/narrative report
- Units
- N/A
- Ref low
- 22
- Ref high
- 198
- Critical range
- — – 10000 N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- ≥ 18 years
- Method
- endoscopy
- CPT
- 45378
- SNOMED
- 73761001
- Specimen volume
- Not applicable
- Stability
- Not applicable
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 24–72 hours
- Order
- routine
What is a Small Bowel Endoscopy?
A small bowel endoscopy, also called enteroscopy, is a medical procedure that allows doctors to examine the small intestine - the long tube-like organ between your stomach and large intestine. This test uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light at its tip (endoscope) to capture images of your small bowel's inner lining.
How is the Procedure Performed?
There are two main types of small bowel endoscopy: (1) Capsule endoscopy - you swallow a small pill-sized camera that takes thousands of pictures as it passes through your digestive system; (2) Device-assisted enteroscopy - a flexible scope is inserted through your mouth or rectum and guided through the small bowel. Your doctor will determine which method is best based on your symptoms.
How to Prepare
Preparation typically involves fasting for 12 hours before the procedure. Your doctor may also prescribe a bowel preparation solution to clean your intestines for better visualization. Follow all specific instructions provided by your healthcare team.
Reference range
Adult males: 22-198 U/L; Females: 22-198 U/LN/A
Patients typically require bowel preparation as per endoscopy protocol. Specific preparation instructions should be provided by the ordering physician. Maintain usual medications unless otherwise instructed.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
A small bowel endoscopy is crucial for diagnosing conditions that cannot be found by standard upper endoscopy or colonoscopy. It helps identify sources of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding, detect inflammatory bowel disease, find tumors or polyps in the small intestine, and investigate causes of chronic abdominal pain or malabsorption. This procedure enables doctors to not only visualize abnormalities but also perform biopsies or treatments during the examination.
Frequently asked questions
Is small bowel endoscopy painful?
How long does the procedure take?
What are the risks?
When will I get my results?
Sources
- 1
- 2
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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 17, 2026. · Read our editorial policy