First: Congratulations! You are making an important step to take charge of your health or that of a loved one. If you and/or your physician believe you have celiac disease, the following diagnostic tests will be performed:
- Blood Test: Your primary care physician or a specialist in celiac disease will test your blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA).
- Biopsy: If your blood tests come back positive, you will need to have a biopsy of your small intestine to confirm you have celiac disease. This is done during a procedure called an endoscopy.
- Gluten-Free Diet: If both your blood tests and your biopsy come back positive, your doctor may put you on a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms improve.
Note: It is very important that you DO NOT start a gluten-free diet until all diagnostic tests are performed. Starting a gluten-free diet prematurely can alter the results of the test.
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