Esophageal Varices

You probably won’t know until a healthcare provider checks you. If you’ve already been diagnosed with cirrhosis, your healthcare provider will probably recommend regular screening for varices. But people don’t always know that they have liver disease, even when it’s advanced.

How are esophageal varices diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will evaluate your symptoms and health history, including any current or chronic conditions. An initial physical exam may show signs of bleeding, blood loss or liver disease. They’ll follow up with blood tests and imaging tests to look for evidence of portal hypertension and varices.

What tests can show esophageal varices?

If you don’t have signs of active bleeding, your provider might begin with noninvasive imaging tests, such as a CT scan, magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) or Doppler ultrasound, to look at your blood vessels and blood flow. If they find evidence of varices, they might want to follow up with an endoscopy.

What is an upper endoscopy?

An upper endoscopy (also called an EGD test) is an examination of your upper gastrointestinal tract. That includes your esophagus, stomach and the top of your small intestine (duodenum). A gastroenterologist, a specialist in gastrointestinal diseases and endoscopic procedures, performs it.

The endoscope is a long, thin tube with a tiny camera on the end. It passes down your esophagus, into your stomach and duodenum. The camera projects to a monitor, showing your endoscopist what’s inside. If they find issues, they can treat them with instruments passed through the endoscope.