Gastroclinic of the Latvian Maritime Medicine Centre offers an opportunity to perform total gastrointestinal examination, diagnostics and treatment.
Upper endoscopy
Upper endoscopy is the method of examination of the digestive tract, stomach and duodenum. This is the only method to examine and manage the digestive tract, whereby it is possible to examine the digestive tract, stomach and duodenum ‘from the inside’ and, if necessary, to perform necessary diagnostic and medical procedures.Upper endoscopy is the most accurate method for early diagnostics and management of inflammation of the digestive system, ulcers and tumours. During the endoscopy procedure the physician inserts through the patient’s mouth into the digestive system a top-quality optic tool and examines in details and assesses the digestive tract, stomach and duodenum from the inside.
Enteroscopy
Enteroskopy is the examination of the small intestine or its portion by using a designated optic apparatus (enteroscope) developed to examine the hollow organs. An enteroscope helps to perform with the maximum level of precision and fully the small intestine examination, diagnostics and treatment.
Capsule Endoscopy
Capsule endoscopy is the cutting edge and most accurate form of diagnostics applied to view the small intestine difficult to examine otherwise, at the same time gaining the total picture of the digestive system. The patient swallows a vitamin – size capsule. The capsule is absolutely harmless and can remain inside the human body for several days until excreted naturally. At the same time, the sensors and designated image recording equipment, which operate at the average 8 hours are attached to the patient’s body and record information necessary to the physician. The patient during the examination can move freely and carry out everyday activities.
Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the large intestine and the distal part of the small intestine. Colonoscopy is the most accurate and informative method of examination, whereby it is possible to examine the large intestine from the inside and diagnose on time and manage the large and small intestine diseases. Colonoscopy is the intestine examination method safe and harmless to the patient, which with a thin flexible optic or video tool in details views from the inside the rectum and further portions of the large intestine up to the cecum.
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is the examination of the airways or trachea and lung or bronchial tree with an endoscope.
Functional diagnostics
Qualified specialists perform cutting – edge functional diagnostic (including various heart, blood vessels and brain structure) examination, without which it is impossible to determine the patient’s diagnosis precisely.
Cardiovascular examination:
Echocardiography is the heart ultrasound examination, by assessing the heart valves, walls, pericardia, blood flow, also determine the functional heart condition;
Veloergometry is the determination of cardiac performance and tolerance under load;
Blood pressure 24 – hour monitoring is the determination of fluctuation in blood pressure, of 24-hour index;
Holter Monitoring is the continuous 24 – hour detection, assessment of heart rate disorders;
ECG is the recording of heart rate biopotential, information of cardiac performance, ischemia, opportunity to archive data.
Detection of cerebrovascular disorders:
Duplex scanning of brachiocephalic arteries– precise assessment of the cervical large vessels blood – flow indices (constriction, curves, “plague”);
Duplex Transcranial Doppler sonography evaluates blood circulation in the brain.
Electrophysiological examination of the nervous system:
Electroencephalography;
Neurography;
Electromyography.
Evaluation of peripheral blood vessels:
Segmentary Dopplerography;
Determination of Ankle – Brachial Index;
Duplex peripheral blood vessels (arteries, veins) scan.
Evaluation of lung functions:
External respiration.
Computed Tomography (CT scan)
This is a diagnostic imaging technique to obtain a number of cross – sectional images, which, once processed electronically, can be reconstructed on 2D and 3D planes. CT scans are used to evaluate thoracic, abdominal pathologies in case of various injuries, to diagnose pathologies of brains, skull, soft tissues of the neck, as well as vascular pathologies.
X-ray examinations (RTG)
Mostly, the RTG technique is used to evaluate the structural or traumatic changes in joints and bones, dislocation and deformations, changes in spinal vertebrae, examine gastrointestinal tract, contrast examination, also RTG is one of primary examination techniques in case of pulmonary diseases.
Mammography
2D breast tissue X-ray examination with low-intensity x-rays. This technique is irreplaceable and is still considered as one of the key methods to detect on time breast cancer or other breast pathologies.
Magnetic resonance(MR)
Magnetic field and radio waves help to obtain, without moving the patient, images in various planes, which thanks to excellent soft tissue differentiation capacities, thereby obtaining top-quality images and information of pathologies in the brain, spine, joints, abdominal and pelvic organs, as well as in other soft tissues.
Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT)
This is a tomographic imaging diagnostic technique, which combines two techniques – positron emission tomography and computed tomography (CT). This technique visualizes areas in the body with an increased rate of metabolic activity, thereby enabling to see cancer cells sooner than other techniques. This technique renders precise information of a tumour, thus, its location, dimensions, whether the tumour has distant metastasis, whether it is responsive to therapy, whether it relapses after therapy.
Most often PET/CT examination is appointed:
- For early diagnostics of malignant tumours. PET/CT method indicates to areas in the body with an increased rate of metabolic activity. It allows differentiating between benign and malignant tumours and preventing unnecessary surgical intervention, including biopsies, if the PET/CT examination is negative. Furthermore, PET/CT examination enables to precise the biopsy sampling place;
- To precise the tumour stage. PET/CT is a specifically sensitive method to assess the disease prevalence, especially in patients with lymphoma, melanoma, breast, pulmonary, head and C – spine, intestine and cervical tumours. Such information is very important to decide on the therapy tactics, which differs in case of early and metastatic tumours;
- To detect recurrence of malignant tumour or metastasis after completion of therapy. Currently PET/CT is the most sensitive method to differentiate between true recurrence of disease and consequences of therapy (radiation fibrosis, necrosis, scar tissues and other postoperative changes);
- To assess effectiveness of therapy. By taking PET/CT before and during pharmacological therapy, an opportunity to detect much earlier than anatomical changes whether a tumour responds to a particular treatment or not. The decrease in the number of “active” points or in their intensity during therapy is assessed as a positive effect. This enables to decide promptly and simply, for example, to discontinue or change the pharmacological therapy.
Phone for PET examinations: +37127774429
E-mail for PET examinations: petct@ljmc.lv
Ultrasonography (USG)
This is an easy to access and quick to perform imaging diagnostic method, whereby various organs and structures of soft tissues can be assessed. Exactly ultrasound is essential to detect the pregnancy, foetal pathologies, gynaecological, breast and prostate diseases, as well as to view abdominal organs, thyroid gland.
Patients are offered to undergo:
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Urinary tract ultrasound
- Prostate ultrasound
- Thyroid ultrasound
- Ultrasound of lymph nodes
- Ultrasound of connective tissues, muscles, tendons, joints
- Breast ultrasound
