The cause of ulcerative colitis is not known. The disease can be seen even from a single lesion. It is rather a mosaic of information that leads the doctor for diagnosis. For patients, this is not always easy, as the doctor often has to watch him for a long time and also a number of studies are needed. Last but not least, other diseases must be excluded similar symptoms, such as Crohn's disease.Describe your symptoms as accurately as possible
The first building blocks of the mosaic form the patient's history, the nature of complaints and the physical examination. If the doctor suspects is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, it can search for clues at this stage, by which he can distinguish ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease.
Difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease:
Difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease:
The table also shows that you are helping the doctor very much if you describe your symptoms as accurately as possible.
A gastroscopy is not necessary
In a further step is determined by the physician and blood tests that provides information on the inflammatory activity in the body type. The main research method is colonoscopy (colonoscopy). With the help of an endoscope thereby fattening and colon are examined. A gastroscopy (endoscopy) for the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, however, not necessary.
Ultrasound only in the advanced stage sense
Also, ultrasound (sonography) is in the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis are used, but the investigation is rarely significant: It reveals, above all changes in the deeper layers of the wall and the environment of the digestive tract. These areas are in ulcerative colitis but changed only very rarely. Abnormalities occur in the ultrasound image in ulcerative colitis usually on only when the inflammation has led to a thickening of the bowel wall.
The X-ray is in the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis today hardly any importance. Only to distinguish from Crohn's disease, the doctor may take an X-ray investigation of the small intestine.
Ulcerative colitis - colonoscopy allows accurate diagnosis
The colonoscopy (colonoscopy) is currently the safest method to diagnose ulcerative colitis. The doctor leads to a tube-like instrument (endoscope) that is equipped with an optical system including light source, through the anus into the intestine. In this way he can inspect the interior of the intestine and make using a tiny camera and photographs. A major advantage of colonoscopy: During the investigation can see the doctor about a working channel with a tiny forceps tissue samples (biopsies) of the mucosa. The picture above shows the recording of a healthy mucosa. The upper right shows the recording of the mucosa in ulcerative colitis.
Colonoscopy:
The doctor inspects the entire large intestine
The colonoscopy allows an examination of the rectum (rectum), the entire large intestine (colon) and the last inch of the lower small intestine (ileum). Importance of a prior thorough colon cleansing. A sigmoidoscope (mast colonoscopy) with a rigid sigmoidoscope (15 cm long) enough to clarify the diagnosis is usually not enough.
Patients receive a painkiller before colonoscopy
The sigmoidoscope is not stressful for the patient. This is different for colonoscopy: The injection of air to the development of the intestinal walls and the advancement of the endoscope can be unpleasant, especially when difficult narrowing the passage. The patients received prior to the examination but a sleep like midazolam or in some cases the anesthetic propofol. Is an advancement of the endoscope impossible because of severe pain, the doctor will switch to an ultrasound or X-ray examination.
Ulcerative colitis: verify laboratory values over the treatment outcomes
Blood tests and other laboratory parameters in almost all diseases very meaningful. Even with the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, they play a role: They provide information about the severity of inflammation and the success of therapy.A distinction between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease , however, is not reliably possible.
The most important laboratory parameter for ulcerative colitis are:
