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Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Last updated Wednesday, December 22, 2004

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Diagnosis and evaluation

How is inflammatory bowel disease diagnosed?

The history taken by the doctor is the most important part of the diagnosis. Certain information--such as the way the arthritis began, the specific joints involved, and the relationship between joint and bowel symptoms--is very helpful for diagnosis. The appearance of the joints, their range of motion, and pain or tenderness during the physical examination are also important. Usually, X-rays of the joints are normal, unless the joints of the spine are affected. Then damage is visible in X-rays. A blood test for the presence of a substance called HLA-B27 in the blood cells is sometimes helpful in diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis. This substance is an inherited factor present in a much higher frequency among people who have IBD and spondylitis than in the normal population.

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