How Do We Diagnose Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Using a team approach, we examine every possible cause of your condition. We draw from a broad range of diagnostic tests to perform a thorough evaluation, including a precise measure of the degree of your intestinal injury.
You may need one or more tests, including:
- Blood test: Using a sample of your blood, we may run a number of tests including:
- Complete blood count to look for signs of anemia and infections
- Electrolyte and kidney function panel to look for electrolyte abnormalities and liver issues
- Albumin tests to assess your nutritional status
- Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan: Using X-rays and special computer software, this test creates 2-D and 3-D images of your intestines. Providing alternative views of your abdominal organs, CT scans help us examine details that might not be visible through other imaging tests.
- Abdominal X-ray: A standard X-ray of your small intestine can identify abnormalities or blockages.
- Barium study: This is also known as a barium swallow/upper gastrointestinal series. For this test, you drink a special chemical (barium), and we track its journey down your digestive tract.
- Colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy: Examining the entire length of your colon (colonoscopy) or just the lower part of your colon (sigmoidoscopy) with the help of a small flexible tube and tiny camera we insert into your rectum (endoscope).听
- Double balloon enteroscopy: We insert an endoscope into your mouth and down your esophagus to access your small intestine. Small balloons apply gentle suction to 鈥済rab鈥 and bring sections of your intestines closer to the camera. Double balloon enteroscopy allows us to examine areas of your bowel that are beyond the reach of conventional tools.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Magnetic resonance imaging produces detailed images of your small and large intestine without radiation and can show fine details, such as tissue inflammation.
- Stool culture: Also known as a fecal occult blood test (FOBT), this test examines a sample of your stool under a microscope to look for microscopic amounts of blood.
- Upper endoscopy: An upper endoscopy works by taking a tissue sample (biopsy) from your digestive organs with the help of an endoscope that our specialists pass through your mouth and esophagus. We examine the tissue under a microscope to look for signs of disease, inflammation and cancer.听
- Wireless capsule endoscopy: We have you swallow a pill with a tiny wireless monitoring system inside (SmartPill庐) to record acid levels, temperature and pressure changes in your intestines. Wireless capsule endoscopy lets us know how fast or slow your stomach is emptying.听
