How is gastritis diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for gastritis may include the following: • gastroscopy – during the procedure, the physician inserts a thin tube with a camera, called a gastroscope, through the patient’s mouth down into the stomach to examine the stomach lining. The physician checks for inflammation of the lining and may remove a tiny sample of the lining for testing (known as a biopsy). • blood test (to measure red blood cells and possibly detect anemia – a condition where there are not enough red blood cells present, which can cause gastritis) • stool culture – checks for the presence of abnormal bacteria in the digestive tract that may cause diarrhea and other problems. A small sample of stool is collected and sent to a laboratory by your physician’s office. In two or three days, the test will show whether abnormal bacteria are present; presence of blood in the stool may be a sign of gastritis.
