Modern imaging techniques: which--when--why?

Within the last decade, the technological development improved the diagnostic work-up of small bowel diseases. In addition to abdominal ultrasound and radiological methods, the importance of endoscopy is increasing. Nowadays, five nonsurgical flexible endoscopy techniques are available for small bowel endoscopy: push enteroscopy and balloon-guided enteroscopy for evaluation of the proximal small bowel, balloon-assisted enteroscopy using two balloons (double-balloon enteroscopy) or one balloon (single-balloon enteroscopy), and spiral enteroscopy for evaluation of the deep small bowel. Intraoperative enteroscopy has become a reserve method.