Help understanding test results

[zack 0]

Can a doc determine if there is damage to villi with the naked eye or is biopsy the only way to know.

Our Gi did 7 biopsys today and said things looked good. So should i believe my sons biopsy will be negative?? Thank-you

[Lisa 462]

Can a doc determine if there is damage to villi with the naked eye or is biopsy the only way to know.

Our Gi did 7 biopsies today and said things looked good. So should i believe my sons biopsy will be negative?? Thank-you

A scope of the small intestines can look for damage to the villi and scalloped walls, and it can be viewed through the procedure. Biopsy's are taken at that time.

Biopsy's can also indicated issues with gluten, but they may miss the effected areas. So a negative endoscopy or biopsy is not conclusive that Celiac Disease is not present. Or perhaps, not enough damage has occurred to be visible. It can rule Celiac in, but cannot rule it out.

[ravenwoodglass 1,345]

The endo can look normal to the doctor but still have a postive after the biopsies are read. The villi are very tiny, hence the need for a biopsy. Now that the biopsy is done you can start on the diet. Sometimes the body responds well before we even go back for the results. There are pretty high rates of false negatives so a trial on the diet would be needed no matter what the result. You should be able to get started now that testing is done.

[nmlove 2]

After my son's endoscopy, his GI told us that he saw damage and to go ahead and cut out the obvious gluten sources. Then of course a week later the biopsy results were positive. But as posted, the damage may or may not be visible - reading the biopsies is key. I will say this. Once 100% gluten free I could tell a difference in my son by week's end.

[Roda 186]

My GI doc said he saw minor changes but would not speculate anything until the biopsy results which were positive.

[StacyA 6]

Can a doc determine if there is damage to villi with the naked eye or is biopsy the only way to know.

Our Gi did 7 biopsys today and said things looked good. So should i believe my sons biopsy will be negative?? Thank-you

My GI (with some good celiac experience) said everything looked okay visually, but the biopsy results came back with mild villous blunting.