digestive disorders
Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Stool and blood tests Endoscopy with tissue biopsy To make a diagnosis of IBD, a doctor must first exclude other possible causes of inflammation. For example, infection with parasites or bacteria may cause inflammation. Therefore, the doctor does several tests. Stool samples are analyzed for evidence of a bacterial or parasitic infection (acquired during travel, for example), including a type of bacterial infection ( Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile–Induced Colitis [formerly Tests may also be done to detect sexually transmitted infections of the rectum, such as Gonorrhea , Tissue samples may be taken from the lining of the digestive tract during Endoscopy (an examination of the digestive tract using a viewing tube) and examined microscopically for evidence of other causes of inflammation of the colon (colitis) or inflammation of the last part of the small intestine (ileum). This removal and examination of tissue is called a biopsy. Doctors also consider other disorders that cause similar abdominal symptoms such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) , 