Internal frontier: The pathophysiology of the small intestine

Figure 1 Endoscopy. Images obtained using capsule endoscopy (A) and double-balloon enteroscopy (B) in a 61-year-old man with follicular lymphoma who visited us because of gastrointestinal bleeding from an unknown cause and a hemoglobin concentration of 9.7 g/dL.

Figure 2 A mass positive by positron emission computed tomography actually was a tumor arising the mucosa of the small intestine of a 48-year-old woman who had suffered Crohn disease. A: Positron emission computed tomography/computed tomography showed an accumulation in site of wall thickening of ileum; B: Image obtained by double-balloon enteroscopy.

Figure 3 Identification of lipoma clarified the reason of intermittent abdominal discomfort in a 29-year-old female. Endoscopic finding (A) and selective small bowel series (B) obtained using double-balloon enteroscopy. This required surgical intervention. An arrow in the B indicates a defect by a lipoma.

Figure 4 Intestinal tuberculosis is also revealed by double-ballon enteroscopy. A: Computed tomography showed wall thickening of the ileum with contrast enhancement (arrow); B: Double-balloon enteroscopy showed destruction of the small intestinal villi.

Figure 5 Angioectasia. A: Diagnosis of angioectasia was made by capsule endoscopy; B: Argon plasma coagulation successfully treated the lesion.