How is celiac disease diagnosed?
To diagnose celiac disease, doctors usually require blood tests to measure antibody levels as follows:
- Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
- anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA)
- IgA anti-endomisium antibody (AEA)
It is very important to keep in mind to follow a normal diet with gluten-containing foods such as; bread, pasta..etc. If this gluten-containing diet is interrupted before testing is done, the results may be negative for the disease when it is actually present.
If tests and symptoms suggest the presence of the disease, the doctor may suggest an endoscopic biopsy of your small intestine. An endoscopy is a procedure that allows your physician to see what is going on inside your GI tract. A scope is inserted through the mouth and down the esophagus, stomach and small intestine, giving the physician a clear view and the option of taking a sample of the tissue.