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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor will ask about your medical history and your symptoms. He or she will also do a physical exam to assess your situation. The doctor may suspect intestinal obstruction if your abdomen is swollen or tender, or if there's a lump in your abdomen.
To confirm a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, your doctor may recommend abdominal X-ray, ultrasound or computerized tomography (CT) scans. These tests also help your doctor determine if the obstruction is paralytic ileus or if it's a mechanical obstruction, and if it's a partial or a complete obstruction.
