Jump to content

  • You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

Can Celiac Be Diagnosed Via Colonoscopy Biopsy?

Amyswalter

Recommended Posts

Amyswalter Newbie
Amyswalter
Posted

During my colonoscopy, my doctor took biopsy from my inflamed terminal Ileum (lowest part of small intestine). Can celiac disease be diagnosed from a biopsy of that area, or does the biopsy HAVE to come from the top of my small intestine via the stomach?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Greg Rappaport Rookie
Greg Rappaport
Posted

During my colonoscopy, my doctor took biopsy from my inflamed terminal Ileum (lowest part of small intestine). Can celiac disease be diagnosed from a biopsy of that area, or does the biopsy HAVE to come from the top of my small intestine via the stomach?

I'm not a doctor, but I do believe the latter is correct. When I was diagnosed (about 12 years ago) I had bloodwork (celiac panel - endomysial IGA antibody) done which came back positive. Next my gastroenterologist scheduled me for an endoscopy, which revealed flattening in my stomach and duodenum. Biopsies are also taken which are used in the overall assessment as well.

Best of luck.

cahill Collaborator
cahill
Posted

During my colonoscopy, my doctor took biopsy from my inflamed terminal Ileum (lowest part of small intestine). Can celiac disease be diagnosed from a biopsy of that area, or does the biopsy HAVE to come from the top of my small intestine via the stomach?

During my colonoscopy my doctor took 2 biopsy to check for microscopic colitis.

Celiac disease can be diagnosed from biopsys of the small intestine via endoscopy and/or blood work.

The Horticulturalist Apprentice
The Horticulturalist
Posted

During my colonoscopy, my doctor took biopsy from my inflamed terminal Ileum (lowest part of small intestine). Can celiac disease be diagnosed from a biopsy of that area, or does the biopsy HAVE to come from the top of my small intestine via the stomach?

Technically, yes, it can be diagnosed that way.

The gold standard test, however, is with an endoscopy and several biopsies. Have a read up about it on a website like the Mayo Clinic of the Uni of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. I've read that it's better to have someone with some experience in diagnosing celiac do the endoscopy, I also read that many GI Docs do not take sufficient numbers of biopsies to give an. accurate diagnosis

heathen Apprentice
heathen
Posted

Celiac disease is a disease primarily of the small intestine, although you can see some changes in the colon that are non-specific. In other words, if you're going for biopsy, you have to get an EGD, although based on your history, your GI may opt to do a colonoscopy as well just to check things out.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      134,086
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      10,442
    Joseph01
    Newest Member
    Joseph01
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.7k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Edy's and Dreyer's ice cream

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      Sigh. I posted this yesterday based on the Safeway website. I went back again today to their website to double check. On the page where they are selling Vanilla Bean flavor, it has a distinct Certified Gluten Free label. Other flavors on the Safeway website didn't have the gluten-free statement. Today I went into the store. None of the flavors I looked at, including Vanilla Bean, have a Gluten Free statement. Is it safe? Who knows. The ingredients are either safe or nearly safe (some have "natural flavor"). There are warnings about "contains milk and soy" but not about wheat - this implies they are safe, but again, who knows. On the other hand, every flavor I checked of their Slow Churn line of ice creams has wheat as an ingredient. 100% not safe.
    • knitty kitty
      Edy's and Dreyer's ice cream

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Do keep in mind that many of the newly diagnosed have lactose intolerance.  This is because the villi lining the intestinal tract are damaged, and can no longer make the enzyme lactAse which breaks down the milk sugar lactOse.  When the villi grow back (six months to two years), they can again produce the enzyme lactAse, and lactose intolerance is resolved.  However, some people (both those with and without Celiac Disease) are genetically programmed to stop producing lactase as they age.   Do be aware that many processed foods, including ice cream, use Microbial Transglutaminase, a food additive commonly called "meat glue," used to enhance texture and flavor.  This microbial transglutaminase has the same immunogenicity as tissue transglutaminase which the body produces in response to gluten in people with Celiac Disease.  Tissue Transglutaminase (tTg IgA) is measured to diagnose Celiac Disease in blood tests.  Microbial Transglutaminase acts the same as Tissue Transglutaminase, causing increased intestinal permeability and inflammation.   New findings show that microbial transglutaminase may be able to trigger Celiac Disease and other autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.   Microbial Transglutaminase is not required to be listed on ingredients labels as it's considered a processing aid, not an ingredient in the U.S.  Microbial Transglutaminase has been GRAS for many years, but that GRAS standing is being questioned more and more as the immunogenicity of microbial transglutaminase is being discovered. Interesting Reading:  Microbial Transglutaminase Is a Very Frequently Used Food Additive and Is a Potential Inducer of Autoimmune/Neurodegenerative Diseases https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8537092/
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      Edy's and Dreyer's ice cream

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      There is a 10 year old post in this forum on Edy's and Dreyer's ice cream. The information is somewhat outdated and the thread is closed to further comment, so here is a new one. Edy's And Dreyer's Grand Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - 1.5 Quart is labeled "Gluten Free". This is a different answer than years gone by. I don't know the answer for any other flavor at this moment. On 1 May, 2026, Edy's website says: "As a general rule, the gluten in Edy's and Dreyer's® frozen dessert products is present only in the added bakery products, such as cookies, cake or brownies. We always label the eight major food allergens on our package by their common name. We recommend to always check the label for the most current information before purchasing and/or consuming a product. The exception to this rule is our Slow Churned French Silk frozen dairy dessert, which contains gluten in the natural flavors." https://www.icecream.com/us/en/brands/edys-and-dreyers/faq It seems that Edy's and Dreyer's are more celiac-friendly than they were 10 years ago. Once I found enough information to make today's buying decision, I stopped researching.
    • Aretaeus Cappadocia
      EDG 3 years ago fine, now it shows focal villous blunting,

      By Aretaeus Cappadocia · Posted

      probably not your situation @Mimiof2, but allow me to add one more to @trents list of celiac-mimics: "olmesartan-induced sprue-like enteropathy"  
    • knitty kitty
      Terrible Neurological Symptoms

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      My dad had an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.  Fortunately, it was discovered during an exam.  The doctor could feel my dad's heart beating in his stomach/abdomen.  The aneurysm burst when the doctor first touched it in surgery.  Since he was already hooked up to the bypass machine, my dad survived ten more years.  Close call! Triple A's can press on the nerves in the spinal cord causing leg pain.  I'm wondering if bowing the head might have increased the pressure on an aneurysm and then the nerves.   https://gulfcoastsurgeons.com/understanding-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-symptoms-and-causes/ Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Presenting as a Claudication https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4040638/
×
×
  • Create New...