[Stepwise diagnosis of intestinal hemorrhage]

Endoscopy is the method of choice in diagnosing gastrointestinal bleeding. In case of acute and severe bleeding a bleeding-source in the upper gastrointestinal tract has to be excluded with priority. The efficiency of endoscopy would be enhanced by endoscopic Doppler ultrasound. A diagnostic gap in the region of small bowel possibly will be closed by recently developed push-enteroscopy. Angiography and scintigraphy with labeled autologous erythrocytes are reserved to bleeding of still unknown source. Enteroclysis and double contrast barium enema are necessary only in very rare cases.