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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffTo determine whether Hirschsprung's disease is present, your child's doctor may conduct one or all of the following tests:
- Abdominal X-ray. If Hirschsprung's is present, as stool backs up in the colon, the X-ray may reveal decreased air in the colon or areas in which the colon has stretched wider than normal.
- X-ray using a contrast dye. A barium enema uses a contrast dye to help your doctor evaluate the entire colon with an X-ray. Barium or another contrast dye is placed into the bowel in an enema form. The barium fills and coats the lining of the bowel, creating a clear silhouette of the colon and rectum. Air may also be added to provide better contrast on the X-ray.
- Measuring control of the muscles around the rectum. A manometry test is typically done on older children and adults. During the manometry test, the doctor inflates a balloon inside the rectum. The surrounding muscle should relax as a result. If it doesn't, Hirschsprung's disease may be the cause.
- Removing a sample of colon tissue for testing. Biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for laboratory testing. A biopsy sample can be collected using a suction device and is done on an outpatient basis, meaning it doesn't require a hospital stay.
References
- What I need to know about Hischsprung disease. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Wyllie R. Motility disorders and Hirschsprung disease. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Kahn E, et al. Anatomy, histology, embryology and development anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Philichi L. When the going gets tough: Pediatric constipation and encopresis. Gastroenterology Nursing. 2008;31:121.
- Nutrition therapy for constipation. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
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