Diagnostic Tests for Indigestion
Diagnostic Test list for Indigestion:
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Indigestion
includes:
- Physical examination
- Look for evidence of anemia - e.g. pale skin and conjunctiva - may suggest chronic oesophagitis, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer or stomach cancer.
- Look for evidence of jaundice - e.g. yellow skin and sclera of eyes - may suggest gallstones that pass into common bile duct or cancer of the pancreas.
- Abdominal examination for tenderness - e.g. tenderness in epigastric area (midline below ribs) may suggest peptic ulceration; tenderness over the right upper abdomen may suggest gall bladder disease.
- Abdominal examination for mass - e.g. epigastric mass may suggest stomach cancer.
- Blood tests
- Full blood count and ESR
- Iron studies
- Electrolytes and renal function (especially if persistent vomiting as renal failure can present with dyspepsia and vomiting) liver function tests
- Helicobacter pylori serology (to test for presence of bacteria that is now accepted to cause duodenal ulcers, but does not distinguish from past or present infection)
- Gastrin levels, if multiple peptic ulcers to help diagnose Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
- Tumor markers including Carcinoembryonic antigen (for bowel cancer) and alphafetoprotein (for hepatoma)
- Stool occult blood test - may be positive with peptic ulcer, oesophagitis, stomach cancer.
- Exercise ECG - may be required to rule out ischemic heart disease.
- Radiological investigations
- Abdominal ultrasound scan - can give information about the liver, bile ducts, pancreas, kidneys. This is the best test for gallstones.
- CT Scan abdomen if ultrasound suggests pathology but undefined
- HIDA scan can exclude an obstructed bile duct
- Barium swallow and barium meal can diagnose esophageal motility disorders and obstruction of the upper gastrointestinal tract
- Scintographic gastric -emptying studies may help to diagnose delayed gastric emptying e.g. in diabetes
- ERCP, if jaundiced, which provides information about the bile ducts
- Urea breath test - test of choice for following the response to treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (with biopsy of mass if found and for Helicobacter pylori) - may be required to diagnose peptic ulcers, stomach cancer.
- ERCP, if jaundiced
- Manometry studies may be useful if investigating difficulty with swallowing
- Physical exam
- X-rays
- Endoscopy
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Indigestion causes:
- Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
- Digestive-Related Home Testing:
Tests and diagnosis discussion for Indigestion:
To diagnose indigestion, the doctor first rules out other problems,
like ulcers. In the process of diagnosis, a person may have x-rays of the
stomach and small intestine or undergo endoscopy, in which the doctor uses
an instrument to look closely at the inside of the stomach.
(Source: excerpt from Indigestion: NIDDK)
» Next page: Glossary
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