DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF SMALL-INTESTINAL DISEASES

This paper reviews topics relating to the diagnosis of small intestina l diseases, such as the use of enteroscopy and enteroclysis in the eva luation of patients with obscure gastrointestinal hemorrhage; the use of the steatocrit and fecal antilactoferrin latex bead agglutination t est in the evaluation of diarrhea; the use of the polymerase chain rea ction for diagnosing Whipple's disease; and the use of somatostatin re ceptor imaging for evaluating gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tu mors. The management of Whipple's disease and lactase deficiency is al so addressed.