Crohn's Disease Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosing Crohn's disease involves the healthcare provider asking the patient a number of questions. The next step in Crohn's disease diagnosis is a physical exam to look for signs of the disease. Some tests and procedures the healthcare provider may recommend to help diagnose Crohn's disease include blood tests, a stool sample, a CT scan, and a colonoscopy.

 

How Is Crohn's Disease Diagnosed?

In order to make a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, the healthcare provider will begin by asking a number of questions, including questions about:
 
  • Your current symptoms
  • Any medical conditions you may have
  • Medications you take
  • Recent travel and personal contacts
  • A family history of any medical conditions.
     
He or she will also perform a physical exam looking for signs of Crohn's disease. With your answers to the questions (along with the physical), your healthcare provider may have a general idea of what is causing your symptoms. If your healthcare provider thinks this is Crohn's disease, or if he or she is unsure of what is causing your symptoms, additional tests may be necessary.
 

Tests for Diagnosing Crohn's Disease

Other digestive disorders, such as ulcerative colitis or a bacterial infection, can share some of the symptoms with Crohn's disease, so your healthcare provider will probably need to perform some tests to confirm the diagnosis. He or she may recommend one or more of the following tests to diagnose Crohn's disease:
 
Blood Tests
Blood tests are used to see if you are losing large amounts of blood in your stool, and to check for infection or other problems.
(Crohn's Disease Diagnosis Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD