A brief explanation of the diagnostic tests performed to detect celiac disease.

1. Getting Tested for Celiac Disease By Danielle Travali

2. About Celiac Disease Facts: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that “damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food” (exact source: the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) ) People with celiac disease can’t digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats. Think of gluten as the stuff that makes bread gooey and “doughy.” Photo courtesy http://www. siptemberfest.files.wordpress.com

3. Why would someone want to know if he/she has celiac disease as opposed to a wheat allergy?

5. “Pretty much, someone who has a gluten intolerance without celiac disease gets exposure to gluten and doesn’t feel well afterwards because it doesn’t agree with them,” Jay said.

6. But if a person with celiacdoesn’t follow a strict gluten-free diet, he or she may experience complications such as malnutrition, neurological problems and even cancer of the bowels (Source: Mayo Clinic).

8. The Testing Process TEST ONE: The first component of the test is a blood test ordered by your physician. It’s a laboratory panel with several components that need to be read. This panel is 90-95 percent accurate. Many people who have celiac disease will test negative on the blood work. This is probably because they did not consume enough gluten before the test. Jay says, “The person undergoing testing for celiac disease must be eating gluten. You cannot test if you’re on a gluten-free diet. You need to be eating 4-6 slices of bread every day for 4-6 weeks before your test,” Jay said. TEST TWO: The gastroenterologist takes biopsies of the small intestine under general anesthesia.Some places do it in an office visit. A hospital visit is usually unnecessary. If the villi(small fingerlike structures in the intestine) are blunted, this is a sign of celiac disease.