No single test can diagnose Crohn’s disease. Your doctor will need to take your medical history and carry out tests along with a physical exam. You may need lab tests, imaging, and procedures such as an endoscopy.

There’s no single diagnostic test for Crohn’s disease. If you have signs or symptoms of the condition, your doctor may use a variety of tests to check for it.

Tests can include blood and stool tests, imaging, and procedures such as endoscopy.

Read on to learn what to expect when you see your doctor, including the types of assessments, tests, and procedures you may need.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. You may also have blood in your stool.

Many other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Because of this, it can take a long time to get an accurate diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.

To make a diagnosis, your doctor may need to carry out various tests and procedures following an initial assessment.

Your doctor will likely start by asking you about your medical history and your symptoms. They may also conduct a full physical examination and order blood and stool tests. This can help them rule out other possible causes of your symptoms. If they suspect Crohn’s disease, they will likely order more follow-up tests.

To diagnose Crohn’s disease, your doctor will need to see what’s going on inside your digestive tract. To do this, they may use imaging tests that create pictures of your digestive tract from the outside, such as X-rays.

Your doctor may also use an endoscope to look inside your digestive tract during a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. During these procedures, they may collect tissue samples for testing.

Blood test

Blood tests can help your doctor check for signs of infection or antibodies in your blood. If you have increased levels of white blood cells or platelets in your blood, it may be a sign of infection or inflammation in your body. This inflammation might be caused by Crohn’s disease or other inflammatory conditions.

Another test is for an inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein to help detect inflammation.

Your doctor can’t use a blood test alone to diagnose Crohn’s disease. But it can help them assess the likelihood that you have it.

Stool test

Your doctor may order a stool test to look for fecal calprotectin, which indicates inflammation. This test is extremely helpful in determining if a patient has Crohns or Ulcerative colitis.

Doctors may also order stool tests to check for disease-causing organisms in your digestive tract. This can help them rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.

You will need to provide a sample of your stool, or feces, for a stool test. It will be tested for abnormalities in a laboratory.

Imaging tests allow your doctor to examine your digestive tract from the outside. This helps them assess signs of damage or inflammation. It can help them diagnose Crohn’s disease and its potentially serious complications, such as fistulas or abscesses.

Your doctor may ask you to drink a solution before undergoing imaging tests. Two solutions — barium and Gastrografin — are typically used to help your doctor see your digestive tissues in greater detail. Which one you end up taking will depend on the particular test you are having.

If your doctor suspects Crohn’s disease, they will likely use one of the following imaging tests to create images of your small intestine:

MRI

Using radio waves and magnets, MRI scans allow your doctor to view objects inside your body.

A constant magnetic field and radio frequencies bounce off of the fat and water molecules in your body. Radio waves are transmitted to a receiver in the machine, which is translated into an image of the body.

You’ll be asked to lie still while the MRI is taking place. An MRI is also a loud machine, and you should be offered earplugs or headphones to make the noise more bearable.

CT

A CT scan, or CAT scan, is a form of X-raying that involves a large X-ray machine.

During a CT scan, you’ll be asked to lie down on a table. The table then moves through the CT scan to take cross-sectional pictures of inside your body.

UGI

The UGI series includes a variety of imaging tests to create a complete picture of your small intestine.

Your doctor may also use imaging tests to examine your stomach or large intestine.

Endoscopy

An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera on the end. Your doctor can insert it through your rectum to examine the inner walls of your colon. They can also use it to examine the area where your small intestine and colon meet, where damage from Crohn’s disease is often found.

Types of endoscopy include colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy.

During a colonoscopy, your doctor can view your entire colon. During a sigmoidoscopy, they will only examine the end of your colon.

Your doctor may also need to perform an upper endoscopy to look at your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of your small intestine. This procedure is called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD.

During your endoscopy, your doctor may also collect samples of your digestive tissues for testing in a procedure known as a biopsy.

Endoscopy is useful in helping your doctor diagnose your condition. However, it’s an invasive procedure, and some people find it uncomfortable.

Capsule endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy is a revolutionary test used when other tests aren’t conclusive.

To undergo a capsule endoscopy, you swallow a small capsule that has a tiny camera inside. This camera creates images of the inside of your small intestine. It can show signs of Crohn’s disease in your small intestine that cannot be seen with an EGD or a colonoscopy.

The benefit of a capsule endoscopy is that it’s minimally invasive. The capsule is designed to pass through your digestive tract without causing discomfort. However, this procedure doesn’t provide biopsy samples.

Biopsy

To conduct a biopsy, your doctor will collect a small sample of digestive tissue for testing. In many cases, they’ll collect the sample while performing a colonoscopy.

After this, it will be sent to a lab for analysis. Laboratory technicians will look for signs of inflammation or other problems with your tissues.

For example, granulomas — small groupings of cells — can only be seen in a biopsy. These usually indicate a person has Crohn’s disease.

Biopsies can help your doctor confirm or understand the results of other tests, including imaging and endoscopy tests.

If you have an upcoming diagnostic test or procedure, speak with your doctor to find out how to prepare. You may need to avoid certain things like intense exercise, smoking, or particular medications.

Your early tests will likely be to look for signs of Crohn’s and to rule out other conditions. Your doctor may then use lab tests first, followed by imaging tests and other procedures to confirm any diagnosis.

Make sure to inform your doctor about any of the following:

  • if you didn’t follow instructions exactly as given (it’s important to be open about this since many factors can affect the test result)
  • if you are taking any medications, vitamins, supplements, or following any special diets
  • if anything has changed with your health or medications since you last spoke with them

Bring all of your questions and concerns with you to your doctor so you can keep informed of every step. Feel free to bring a friend or family member with you for support if the office or clinic allows.

There is currently no known cure for Crohn’s disease. If you’re diagnosed with the condition, your doctor will recommend strategies to help reduce symptoms and prevent complications.

They may recommend lifestyle changes, including changes to your diet. You may also need to take medications or other treatments.

Anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppressive medications, and antibiotics are common medications for treating Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Taking steps to reduce your stress levels and keep your immune system healthy may also help manage your symptoms.

There isn’t one single test that can diagnose Crohn’s disease. Your doctor will typically need to carry out an initial assessment before deciding which test you may need. Tests can include blood tests, stool tests, imaging scans, and procedures such as endoscopy.

If you have symptoms of Crohn’s disease, it’s important to speak with your doctor so they can help diagnose the condition. They can also carry out tests that eliminate Crohn’s disease as a possible cause.