Intestinal Ultrasound

Lurie Children’s is among a small number of pediatric hospitals in the country offering intestinal ultrasound as part of IBD care. Our team includes nationally-recognized experts in pediatric gastroenterology who are specially trained in this advanced technology. 

We take a collaborative, family-centered approach to care—making it easier for your child to get the answers they need with less stress and fewer procedures. With IUS, we can often provide real-time updates and treatment decisions during the same visit. 

Our ultrasounds take place in a newly renovated GI procedure suite designed for comfort, with private rooms, family seating, and calming fiber-optic ceiling stars.

Our Intestinal Ultrasound Clinic focuses on caring for children and adolescents with IBD, including: 

• Crohn’s disease 
• Ulcerative colitis 

In some cases, intestinal ultrasound can help decide if a colonoscopy is needed when checking for IBD. Because it has limitations, this option should be discussed with your GI provider and our IBD ultrasound team. These symptoms may include 

• Abdominal pain 
• Diarrhea 
• Rectal bleeding 
• Unexplained anemia 
• Weight loss or poor growth 
• Unexplained fatigue 

By offering a non-invasive way to assess inflammation and track disease activity, we help ensure your child receives the right treatment at the right time—with fewer disruptions to daily life. 

An intestinal ultrasound is quick, painless, and usually takes only 20–30 minutes. A parent or caregiver is welcome to stay with your child the whole time.

Your child will lie on an exam table while we put a small amount of warm, washable gel on their belly. Using a small handheld wand (called a probe), one of our providers will gently move it over the area to take pictures of the intestine. You’ll be able to see the images right away, and our team can point out how things look and explain what they mean.

There’s no need for needles, radiation, fasting, or special prep. Comfortable clothing is best. We’ll provide towels to help keep the gel off clothes.

Often, we can share results before you even leave. Because ultrasounds can be repeated over time, they’re a great way to track changes, see how treatment is working, and sometimes spot improvement even before blood or stool tests do. While ultrasounds don’t replace all tests, they may help reduce the need for some colonoscopies or MRIs.