If antibody tests and/or symptoms suggest celiac disease, a physician should establish the diagnosis by obtaining tiny pieces of tissue from the small intestine to check for damage to the villi. This is done via endoscopic biopsy. Under sedation, the physician eases a long, thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth and stomach into… Read more »
(Updated .)Keyword: endoscopy
Is a colonoscopy better than an endoscopy for taking biopsies of the small intestine?
You can approach the small intestine through either end, though it is more common to obtain biopsies through endoscopy than colonoscopy. As long as the biopsies are of the small intestine then they can be taken either way. Biopsies from the ileum obtained during a colonoscopy may show the villus blunting typical of celiac, but… Read more »
(Updated .)What is an endoscopic biopsy?
Biopsy of the small intestine is the standard way to diagnose celiac disease. This procedure is always performed by a gastroenterologist, and is conducted most often in an outpatient surgical suite. The procedure lasts less than an hour, and includes sedation and local anesthesia. The procedure involves a long, thin tube with a small camera… Read more »
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