Diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis
What do test results show with active ulcerative colitis?
Diagnosis requires blood and stool tests during an active phase.
Blood Test -Hemoglobin to look for anemia and elevated white cell count. An elevated ESR or erythrocyte sedimentation rate along with an increased white cell count is a pointer to an acute inflammation.
Stool test - will have to be done to rule out infection due to parasites, worm infestation and so on.
Colonoscopy using a flexible endoscope - that will enable the doctor to look into the colon and study the affected areas and do biopsy of the ulcers if necessary.
Sigmoidoscopy is very useful in early as well as in mild cases. Findings of inflammation interspersed with ulcers are very suggestive of ulcerative colitis. A biopsy can be taken to the study the tissue and confirm the diagnosis as well as rule out other causes of bleeding and painful defecation.
Barium enema was traditionally done to make a diagnosis, but endoscopies have now superceded it.
