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January 13, 2026

Small bowel obstruction – towards higher calibre care

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) remains a critical emergency with high morbidity and mortality, often exacerbated by delays in diagnosis and treatment. National audits, including NCEPOD’s Delay in Transit and NASBO, highlight that timely imaging is pivotal in improving outcomes. CT with intravenous contrast is strongly recommended as the definitive diagnostic tool, outperforming plain abdominal radiographs, […]

Dr Teodros Truneh, Dr James Stephenson

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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December 17, 2025

The use and technique of CT colonography in identifying colonic lesions

CT colonography (CTC) is a valuable diagnostic tool for detecting colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly when traditional colonoscopy is contraindicated or incomplete. This article outlines the clinical application and technical execution of CTC, emphasising its role in bowel cancer screening and symptomatic patient evaluation. The accuracy of CTC is highly dependent on proper bowel preparation, which […]

Michael Sydee, Dr Nirav Patel, Rachel Baldwin, Dr Anita Wale

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, National CT Colonography Academy, City, St George's University of London

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August 28, 2025

Ultrasound scanning of the appendix

Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain in both children and adults, and remains the most frequent abdominal surgical emergency globally, with approximately 50,000 acute appendicectomies performed annually in the UK. Timely diagnosis is key for optimising outcomes with appropriate treatment. Delays in diagnosis and initiation of treatment can lead […]

Dr Ruth Reeve, Dr Anmol Gangi-Burton, Dr Althaf Abdul Rasheed, Dr Mohammad Hussein Abdi

Portsmouth University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

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July 29, 2025

Poke the paunch with POCUS: gastrointestinal ultrasound in emergency medicine

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) continues to revolutionise the evaluation of abdominal complaints in emergency and acute settings. Its real-time diagnostic potential, portability and noninvasiveness make it a powerful tool in the clinician’s arsenal, particularly when gastrointestinal (GI) pathology is suspected. This article aims to highlight the clinical reasoning, technique and diagnostic markers that underpin effective gastrointestinal […]

Dr Anna Colclough, Dominic Craver

Lewisham Hospital

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December 18, 2024

The use of abdominal ultrasound in small animal gastrointestinal medicine

Abdominal ultrasound is increasingly available in the veterinary sector in both primary care and specialist practice. This has led to its employment in gastrointestinal (GI) medicine. GI disorders, ie vomiting and diarrhoea, both acute and chronic disease form a large part of the primary care and specialist veterinary case load. When applied appropriately, abdominal ultrasound […]

Dr Rebecca Littler

Peninsula Vet Referrals

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March 13, 2024

When to ablate renal tumours?

Renal cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the UK. The majority of these are picked up incidentally when patients have scans for other symptoms. By the time patients have typical symptoms of renal cancer, such as abdominal pain or haematuria, the tumour may be quite advanced.

Dr Salil Karkhanis

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham

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March 13, 2024

Management of upper GI bleed

One of the most common medical emergencies in the UK is acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), with approximately one presentation reported every six minutes. Overall incidence of UGIB in the UK ranges from 84-172 per 100,000 of the population per year. Despite the advancement in medical therapies, the overall hospital mortality rate is still high […]

Dr Peng Kwan Ng, Dr Elizabeth O'Grady

Aintree University Hospital

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August 16, 2023

Implementation of a national training programme for CTC

The National CT Colonography Training and Accreditation Programme (NCTCTAP) was created to enhance and improve CT colonography (CTC) training in the UK. This initiative was supported by NHS England and pump primed by Health Education England (HEE) as part of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan in London.