How is Inflammatory Bowel Disease diagnosed?

Because symptoms of IBD overlap with many other gut issues, a precise diagnosis is required. We use a combination of tools: Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy (the gold standard for diagnosing IBD, allowing us to directly view the lining of your bowel, assess the severity of the inflammation, and take tiny tissue samples to confirm the diagnosis under a microscope), Faecal Calprotectin Test (a simple stool test that detects specific proteins released by white blood cells, giving a highly accurate measure of inflammation in your gut), Blood Tests (to check for anaemia, infection, and general markers of inflammation), and Imaging (MRI or CT scans to look at the small bowel or check for complications outside the bowel).