Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, which refers to recurrent and chronic inflammation of the bowel. The other type of IBD is ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis affects the mucous of the wall of the colon, while Crohn’s disease affects the entire structure. It can show its symptoms throughout the life of the patient. The reason for Crohn’s disease is not fully known yet, but the most accepted theory is that the factors causing it are largely environmental, genetic, immunological, or microbiological.
The complications that can result from Crohn’s disease mainly include intestinal obstruction, abscesses, fistulas, perianal disease, stenosis, and toxic megacolon. Many medical experts suggest that there is a link between Crohn’s disease and the colon’s vulnerability to developing cancer, even though the studies about this matter are not quite conclusive due to the lack of the overall knowledge about the root cause of the condition.
Some other conditions that may indicate the existence of CD include:
- Erythema nodosum
- Aphthous stomatitis
- Episcleritis
- Peripheral arteriopathy
- Pyoderma gangrenosum
- Peripheral atherosclerosis
- Fatty liver
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriasis
- Uveitis and sacroiliitis
Doctors diagnose IBD using laboratory, clinical, and histological data. Other methods of diagnosis include radiological tests and endoscopy. The standard practice is to check for intestinal infections and celiac disease before checking for Crohn’s Disease because both of these conditions cause mucous inflammation.
Now, we shall discuss diagnostic measures that a doctor may take to check if there is Crohn’s Disease.
Endoscopy
The doctor must first determine the degree of severity of lesions and the presence of neoplasms. Endoscopy is the measure to consider in this regard. The best way to perform an initial evaluation of the CD is to perform an ileo-colonoscopy.
Radiology
The radiological studies carried out to diagnose Crohn’s Disease include CT scan, ultrasound, barium study, and magnetic resonance. These studies help to detect ulcers, edemas, fistulas, stenosis, and intestinal affectations.
Histology
A very important analytical measure to check for Crohn’s disease, as well as many other pathologies, is a biopsy. This test helps check for the following abnormalities:
- Intestinal wall’s thickening
- Irregularity of intestinal crypts
- Presence of granulomas
- Lymphocytes and plasma cells
Lab tests
The presence of calprotectin in feces may indicate intestinal inflammation. The diagnostic centers perform lab tests on the sample of feces to find out if this particular protein is present. Lab tests also include a general evaluation of the patient’s condition.
Other factors that medical experts consider while diagnosing for Crohn’s Disease include the age of the patient, the location of the pathology, and the overall behavior of the condition.
The doctor also checks the general well-being of the patient. They see if the patient is suffering from abdominal pain and also how many times he or she has to go to the toilet. They look at all these factors to see if the disease is in its initial, middle, or advanced stage. The treatment for each stage is different. Advanced treatment options are suitable when the disease in its advanced stage.
No comments:
Post a Comment