Radiation Enteritis: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin, mucous membranes and sclerae (white part of the eye).
      • Abdomen (abdomen)
        • Shape of the abdomen?
        • Skin color? Skin texture?
        • Efflorescences (skin changes)?
        • Pulsations? Bowel movements?
        • Visible vessels?
        • Scars? Hernias (fractures)?
    • Inspection and palpation (palpation) of the neck [due todifferential diagnosis: hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism)].
    • Auscultation (listening) of the heart
    • Auscultation of the lungs
    • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) with an attempt to palpate the liver (tenderness?, tapping pain?, coughing pain?, guarding?, hernial ports?, kidney bearing tapping pain?) [Abdominal discomfort (abdominal pain); meteorism (flatulence)][due todifferential diagnoses:
    • Digital rectal examination (DRU): examination of the rectum (rectum)[due todifferential diagnoses:

      [due topossible secondary diseases:

      • Fistula formation
      • Stenosis (narrowing)
      • Ulcers (ulcers)]
  • Cancer screening [due todifferential diagnosis: colon carcinoma (colorectal cancer)]

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.