To Biopsy Or Not

[Wendyp]

Hi,

I posted a couple weeks ago about my test results. Everything was normal except for the TTG which was 5.7.

For this lab normal is below 4, 4-10 is a weak positive, and positive greater than 10.

My internist ran the test and sent the results to my gastro doc. He called yesterday and told me the blood work looked good. He said they don't do biopsies unless the ttg is above 10. However, if I want to he'll do the biopsy.

He just isn't convinced that anything needs to be done. He said if I ran the bloodwork again it would come back the same.

The thing is that with our "wonderful" insurance, I would have to pay out of pocket for a biopsy, and really don't want to do it if it isn't necessary.

My symptoms are lower left abdominal bloating (which has been diagnosed as IBS 18 years ago) and I am frequently fatigued, but my thyroid recently came back low.

Does anyone have any insight on the ttg test and how it is best interpreted?

Thanks,

Wendy

[KaitiUSA]

The tTG test is a very accurate test for celiac. Did you have any of the other blood tests done too?

A biopsy can rule celiac in but not out so it could come back negative and you could still have it. If there is sporadic damage they can easily miss it and if it is in beginning stages then there may not be damage yet.

I did not have a biopsy done..the doctor did not even want to do one based on how all of my results came back.

[Carriefaith]

Does anyone have any insight on the ttg test and how it is best interpreted?

The tTg test is highly sensitive and specific for celiac disease. My grandmother had a really low tTg score, I think it was one above normal, and she had intestinal damage. Her GI doctor thought that he should do the biopsy, and sure enough there was damage. If you decide to get the biopsy done, don't start the gluten-free diet until after the test and make sure that they take at least 4-5 biopsies since the damage can be sporatic.

[Wendyp]

The tTG test is a very accurate test for celiac. Did you have any of the other blood tests done too?

A biopsy can rule celiac in but not out so it could come back negative and you could still have it. If there is sporadic damage they can easily miss it and if it is in beginning stages then there may not be damage yet.

I did not have a biopsy done..the doctor did not even want to do one based on how all of my results came back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There were three components of the test the doctor ran: ttg, igg (1.3),and iga (1.1)

How did you find out you have celiac? Were the numbers real high?

[KaitiUSA]

I had the complete panel run on me(tTG,EMA,IgG,IgA, and total serum IgA) through Prometheus Labs which is a very good lab for celiac testing. Some of my levels were a weak positive and other levels were high positive.

In addition to that,I got a gene test done by Prometheus as well that showed I have the DQ2 gene which is one of the main celiac genes.

The tTG is the most accurate blood test for celiac.