children s health issues
Meconium Ileus
Diagnosis of Meconium Ileus
Before birth, prenatal imaging tests After birth, symptoms of intestinal blockage Abdominal x-rays and sometimes contrast enema Tests for cystic fibrosis If doctors do a Ultrasonography , they sometimes can see signs that the fetus's intestine is blocked. However, doctors usually first suspect the diagnosis after birth, when the newborn has symptoms of intestinal blockage. Doctors strongly suspect meconium ileus if the newborn has a family history of cystic fibrosis or if routine Newborn Screening Tests are positive for cystic fibrosis. If doctors suspect meconium ileus, they do abdominal x-rays, which show enlarged loops of the small intestine. Sometimes they also take x-rays after giving an enema using a liquid substance that is visible on x-rays ( X-rays with a radiopaque contrast agent ). The enema shows that the colon is narrower than normal (called a microcolon) and that there is a blockage near the end of the small intestine. Newborns that are diagnosed with meconium ileus are Diagnosis . 