Endoscopy/Biopsy question - can they tell by sight?

[Alibu]

Hi, I have an endoscopy scheduled on Thursday to confirm celiac.  I have a positive tTG IGA test but negative EMA.  I know they'll take some biopsies and those will take 1-2 weeks to come back, but can they see the damage by sight too?   Is it also possible to see absolutely no damage, but then the biopsies come back showing damage?

I'm just going crazy over here not knowing, LOL. 

[cyclinglady]

28 minutes ago, Alibu said:

Hi, I have an endoscopy scheduled on Thursday to confirm celiac.  I have a positive tTG IGA test but negative EMA.  I know they'll take some biopsies and those will take 1-2 weeks to come back, but can they see the damage by sight too?   Is it also possible to see absolutely no damage, but then the biopsies come back showing damage?

I'm just going crazy over here not knowing, LOL. 

Sometimes the damage can be seen during the endoscopy, but often times it can not.  The damage is microscopic.  My biopsy revealed a Marsh Stage IIIB (moderate to severe patches) and yet my GI said that visually I looked fine.  Go figure!  

 

[Alibu]

2 minutes ago, cyclinglady said:

Sometimes the damage can be seen during the endoscopy, but often times it can not.  The damage is microscopic.  My biopsy revealed a Marsh Stage IIIB (moderate to severe patches) and yet my GI said that visually I looked fine.  Go figure!  

 

Oh wow!!  Ok, good to know, thank you!

[GF-Cheetah Cub]

"Is it also possible to see absolutely no damage, but then the biopsies come back showing damage?"

Yes.   This happened to my daughter.   After her endoscopy, the two doctor came to tell us that they did not see damage.   But two weeks later, the doctor called to tell us that her biopsies came back positive.   So, just sit tight and wait for the official biopsies result.

[squirmingitch]

Ditto what they said. Doctors can rarely actually see the damage it's so microscopic in nature. You really have to wait for the pathology to come back. Once in a while docs will see general inflammation but they can't see the minute details of the villi.

[RMJ]

My GI, who is a researcher at a university hospital, had a very good endoscope with enough magnification to see my blunted villi.  I believe there is also some technique involved.  But as others have said, things can be visually ok and still have damage seen under a microscope.

[Victoria1234]

But you can start the gluten-free diet now!