Pyloric stenosis diagnosis begins by assessing the pyloric stenosis symptoms, blood test, pyloric mass examination and abdominal ultrasound.
Diagnosis of pyloric stenosis
If you have forceful or projectile vomiting, hunger after vomiting, weight loss or inadequate weight gain, then you are right to undergo pyloric stenosis diagnosis.
- Assess weight loss or insufficient weight gain
- Assess gastric peristalsis - waves of muscle contraction in the abdomen, which is passing from the upper quadrant to the right lower quadrant. This is due to the stomach trying to push its contents past the narrowed pyloric outlet.
- Examination for pyloric mass - you can feel this in the right upper quadrant with the infant supine by waiting for few minutes. Generally, it is in the size and shape of an olive.
- Blood tests are to assess the level of dehydration and loss of electrolyte in the blood. Additionally, blood tests to reveal hypochloremic, hypokalemic, and metabolic alkalosis may require.
- A special X-ray by giving a small amount of chalky liquid (barium) to the patient and then x-ray of the abdomen has taken to know any blockage or narrowing of pyloric sphincter.
- Abdominal ultrasound is the diagnosis of choice with 95% sensitivity to view the thickened pyloric muscle.