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Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

Digestive Health

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Your doctor will likely diagnose ulcerative colitis only after ruling out other possible causes for your signs and symptoms, including Crohn's disease, ischemic colitis, infection, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis and colon cancer. To help confirm a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, you may have one or more of the following tests and procedures:

  • Blood tests. Your doctor may suggest blood tests to check for anemia or infection. Tests that look for the presence of certain antibodies can sometimes help diagnose which type of inflammatory bowel disease you have, but these tests can't definitely make the diagnosis.
  • Stool sample. The presence of white blood cells in your stool indicates an inflammatory disease, possibly ulcerative colitis. A stool sample can also help rule out other disorders, such as those caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. In particular, infection with the bacterium Clostridium difficile can be responsible for diarrhea, but it's also more common among people with ulcerative colitis. Your doctor can also check for a bowel infection, which is more likely to occur in people with ulcerative colitis.
  • Colonoscopy. This exam allows your doctor to view your entire colon using a thin, flexible, lighted tube with an attached camera. During the procedure, your doctor can also take small samples of tissue (biopsy) for laboratory analysis. Sometimes a tissue sample can help confirm a diagnosis.
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy. In this procedure, your doctor uses a slender, flexible, lighted tube to examine the sigmoid, the last portion of your colon. The test may miss problems higher up in your colon and it doesn't give a full picture of how much of the colon has been affected. But, if your colon is severely inflamed, your doctor may perform this test instead of a full colonoscopy.
  • Barium enema. This diagnostic test allows your doctor to evaluate your entire large intestine with an X-ray. Barium, a contrast solution, is placed into your bowel using an enema. Sometimes air is added as well. The barium coats the lining, creating a silhouette of your rectum, colon and a portion of your small intestine. This test is rarely used anymore, and it can be dangerous because the pressure required to inflate and coat the colon can lead to rupture of the colon. For people with severe symptoms, flexible sigmoidoscopy combined with a CT scan is a better alternative.
  • X-ray. A standard X-ray of your abdominal area may be done to rule out toxic megacolon or a perforation if these conditions are suspected because of severe symptoms.
  • CT scan. A CT scan of your abdomen or pelvis may be performed if your doctor suspects a complication from ulcerative colitis or inflammation of the small intestine that might suggest Crohn's disease. A CT scan may also reveal how much of the colon is inflamed.
Treatments and drugs Preparing for your appointment
References
  1. Ulcerative colitis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colitis/. Accessed July 1, 2011.
  2. About ulcerative colitis and proctitis. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. http://www.ccfa.org/frameviewer/?url=/media/pdf/livingwithuc52010.pdf. Accessed July 1, 2011.
  3. Ulcerative colitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec02/ch018/ch018c.html. Accessed July 1, 2011.
  4. Shale M, et al. Isotretinoin and intestinal inflammation: What gastroenterologists need to know. Gut. 2009;58:737.
  5. Burakoff R, et al. Inflammatory bowel disease. In: Greenberger NJ, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Endoscopy. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Medical Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6200149. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  6. Peppercorn MA, et al. Medical management of ulcerative colitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 30, 2011.
  7. Ulcerative colitis practice guidelines in adults. Bethesda, Md.: American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/physicians/guidelines/UlcerativeColitis.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2011.
  8. Rutgeerts P, et al. Biological therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases. Gastroenterology. 2009;136:1182.
  9. IBD and pregnancy: What you need to know. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. http://www.ccfa.org/about/news/pregnancy. Accessed July 2, 2011.
  10. Enck P. Acupuncture treatment in gastrointestinal diseases: A systematic review. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2007;13:3417.
  11. Fact sheet: Complementary and alternative medicine. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. http://www.ccfa.org/frameviewer/?url=/media/pdf/FactSheets/CAM.pdf. Accessed July 1, 2011.
  12. Taylor RA, et al. Curcumin for inflammatory bowel disease: A review of human studies. Alternative Medicine Review. 2011;16:152.
  13. Picco MF (expert review). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. July 11, 2011.
  14. Colorectal cancer screening guidelines. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/guidelines.htm. Accessed July 12, 2011.
  15. Reddy D, et al. Possible association between isotretinoin and inflammatory bowel disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2006;101:1569.
  16. Crockett SD, et al. A causal association between isotretinoin and inflammatory bowel disease has yet to be established. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;104:2387.
  17. Crockett SD, et al. Isotretinoin use and the risk of inflammatory bowel disease: A case-control study. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2010;105:1986.
  18. Bernstein CN, et al. Isotretinoin is not associated with inflammatory bowel disease: A population-based case-control study. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2009;104:2744.
  19. Margolis DJ, et al. Potential association between the oral tetracycline class of antimicrobials used to treat acne and inflammatory bowel disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2010;105:2610.
  20. Loftus EV (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 21, 2011.
DS00598 Oct. 10, 2012

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