Table 3. CT angiography.

Advantages

Non-invasive, fast and readily available

Identify cause even when not actively bleeding

Can risk stratify patients

Identify both arterial and venous bleeds and location

High sensitivity to detect active bleed

Disadvantages

Ionizing radiation and radiation dose

Contrast related side effects

Intermittent bleeding may go undetected

Non-therapeutic

Not good for UGIB

Recommendation

Choice of modality for all hemodynamically stable actively bleeding LGIB

UGIB with negative endoscopy, or endoscopy not able to identify source: comparable to catheter angiography

UGIB, upper gastrointestinal bleed; LGIB, lower gastrointestinal bleed.