Radiation enteritis care at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic experts work as a team to provide whole-person care to those with radiation enteritis.
Diagnosis at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic specialists review your medical history and perform a physical exam to better understand your condition.
Additional tests and procedures may be used to understand the extent of your radiation enteritis, including:
- Endoscopy. During an endoscopy, a long, thin tube is passed down your throat and into your esophagus. The tube is equipped with a camera. Endoscopy allows examination of your stomach and the beginning of your small intestine.
- Colonoscopy. During a colonoscopy, a long, thin tube is passed through your rectum and into your colon. The tube is equipped with a camera. Colonoscopy can uncover changes in the colon and areas of inflammation.
- Capsule endoscopy. During a capsule endoscopy, you swallow a pill-sized camera that takes pictures as it passes through your digestive system. A capsule endoscopy allows for the inspection of the small intestine, which is difficult to access with other tests, such as endoscopy and colonoscopy.
- Enteroscopy. During enteroscopy, a camera-equipped scope reaches deeper into your small intestine to look for signs of radiation enteritis.
- CT and MRI. These imaging tests may show changes in your small intestine that suggest radiation enteritis. CT and MRI are usually done before a capsule endoscopy.
Treatment at Mayo Clinic
Radiation enteritis often is temporary. Your symptoms may subside in the weeks after your treatment ends. During this time, treatments may help relieve your symptoms. If radiation enteritis persists, other treatments may be recommended.
If you experience symptoms of radiation enteritis, your health care provider may recommend:
- Anti-diarrheal medications
- Dietary changes, such as reducing your intake of dairy products, fatty foods and high-fiber foods
- Pain medications to relieve pain of inflammation
Radiation enteritis that persists after treatment or that develops months or years after treatment is called chronic radiation enteritis. Treatment for chronic radiation enteritis is similar to treatments used for temporary radiation enteritis but may also include:
- Nutritional support. Inflammation in your small intestine may reduce your body's ability to absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. Nutritional support in the form of tube feeding (home enteral nutrition) or infusions of nutrients into a vein (home parenteral nutrition) may help make sure you get the energy and nutrients you need.
- Antibiotics. Inflammation caused by radiation may lead to a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine that may result in bloating and diarrhea. Bacterial overgrowth can occur if the bacteria that typically live in the large intestine grow in the small intestine. Antibiotics can control bacterial overgrowth.
- Surgery. In rare cases, surgery may be needed to remove the affected intestine or to construct a way for waste to avoid that section. Because surgery carries a risk of complications, it is generally used only when other treatments don't work.
Expertise and rankings
Mayo Clinic specialists are respected for their experience in diagnosing and treating diseases and conditions that affect the gastrointestinal system, including radiation enteritis.
Your Mayo Clinic care team
At Mayo Clinic, gastroenterologists, general surgeons and radiologists work as a multidisciplinary team to care for people with radiation enteritis. Other professionals are included as needed.
Advanced diagnosis and treatment
Mayo Clinic experts will work with you to review all your treatment options and choose the treatment that best suits your needs and goals.
The range of treatments offered to people with radiation enteritis includes supportive care to treat symptoms, surgery to remove a portion of the intestine and a variety of options to improve nutrition while your intestine heals.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic experts have extensive experience diagnosing and treating radiation enteritis. Each year, nearly 100 people with radiation enteritis receive care at Mayo Clinic.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, ranks No. 1 for digestive disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2023–2024 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.
Locations, travel and lodging
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.