Abdominal Center

Specialist institute for gut health and nutrition

We at the MEDIZINICUM Hamburg Abdominal Center are here to help you with diseases of the digestive tract and nutritional problems.

Chronic abdominal complaints are among the most common health problems and can have a variety of causes. Whether abdominal pain, intestinal cramps or flatulence, whether heartburn, nausea or bloating, whether constipation or diarrhoea: at the Abdominal Centre of the Medizinicum, we specialize in clarifying the various symptoms of the digestive tract with a wide range of diagnostic services, identifying possible causes and developing individual treatment strategies.

A particular focus is on functional digestive diseases such as irritable stomach syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome. We are also your point of contact for structural digestive diseases, including gastric mucosal or intestinal inflammation, and for bowel cancer prevention and aftercare.

Another focus of the Abdominal Center is nutritional medicine, in particular the diagnosis and treatment of food intolerances as well as the assessment and nutritional treatment of malnutrition, obesity and nutrition-related diseases.

Overview of diseases of the digestive tract

Functional digestive disorders

Structural diseases

Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases
Colorectal cancer - prevention and aftercare
Esophageal reflux/heartburn
Gastritis/gastric ulcers, Helicobacter infection
Diseases of the pancreas
Liver diseases

Nutritional medicine

Malnutrition
Overweight
Metabolic Syndrome
Diabetes
Fatty liver
Food intolerances

News and current topics

Medical center April 8, 2025

Welcome Prof. Dr. Peter Layer - Reinforcement for our gastroenterology team

Read article ...

Dr. Thomas Dein February 3, 2025

Gastritis: Dr. Thomas Dein on the right diet for a healthy stomach

Read article ...

Dr. Viola Andresen November 1, 2024

Irritable bowel syndrome after infections: Dr. Viola Andresen on the right support for the gut

Read article ...

Our diagnostic services

endoscopy

The endoscopy of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract is carried out with a thin flexible glass fibre instrument at the tip of which a tiny video camera is located. The images are transferred to a television monitor. The patient can also view these pictures. If desired, these examinations can be carried out in sedation (twilight sleep) so that the examination is painless. All endoscopic examinations require you to appear sober. In the case of intestinal examinations, additional intestinal cleansing must be carried out beforehand according to instructions.

Ultrasound

The underlying organs can be examined by placing an ultrasound probe on the skin from the outside. The size of the organs and the assessment of their structure can provide information on the state of health of the organs. Duration of examination: 10 min.

Ex. abdominal examinations:

liver
gallbladder
pancreas
kidneys
spleen
abdominal artery
urinary bladder

Functional examinations:

Gastrointestinal transit time measurements (Hinton test, 13C and H2 breath tests)
H2 breath test (lactose, fructose, sorbitol intolerance, bacterial overgrowth)
Pancreas function tests (e.g. 13C triglyceride test)

Laboratory tests

Blood, stool and urine tests are an important part of the diagnosis of abdominal complaints. In addition to routine diagnostics (blood count, electrolytes/blood salts, liver, kidney, thyroid and pancreas, inflammation values), a variety of special examinations can be added. These include, for example

Stool tests for pathogens and for the inflammation marker calprotectin and the intestinal barrier marker zonulin
Blood tests for coeliac disease (gluten-related intestinal inflammation), mast cell disease, C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency
Blood tests for infections or autoimmune diseases
Blood tests for food allergies (specific IgE antibodies)

Radiological examinations

Various radiological procedures can be used to image the abdominal organs and the large blood vessels and lymph nodes of the abdominal cavity so that structural changes such as inflammation, tissue growths/tumors, narrowing or widening of the digestive tract, gallstones, fatty liver, accumulation of abdominal fluid or enlarged lymph nodes can be detected.

Procedures used are, for example: abdominal CT, abdominal MRI, radiological vascular imaging (angio-MRI)

Gastroenterological functional diagnostics
(H2 and 13C breath tests)

These tests measure the bacterial metabolism of certain sugars in the intestine and are suitable for diagnosing certain intolerances or allow conclusions to be drawn about certain intestinal functions. Intestinal bacteria break down carbohydrates to produce hydrogen (_H2), which enters the bloodstream via the intestine and is then exhaled through the lungs. Patients simply have to drink a sugar solution suitable for their problem and then, at fixed intervals over a period of 3 hours, blow their exhaled air into a small device that measures the _H2 concentration.

Lactose H2 breath test (lactose = milk sugar)
Fructose H2 breath test (fructose = fruit sugar)
Sorbitol H2 breath test (Sorbitol = sugar substitute)
Glucose H2 breath test (glucose = dextrose)
Lactulose H2 breath test (lactulose = "artificial" sugar)

Measurement of body composition (BIA)

Biomass measurement using BIA scales (breakdown of body mass into fat, water, bone and muscle)

Our attending physicians

PD Dr. med. Viola Andresen
Specialist in internal medicine, nutritional medicine & palliative medicine
Focus on functional gastroenterology
Head of Abdominal Center

Further information...