Such a diagnosis, as a nonspecific ulcerative colitis, can be made only on the results of several studies: histological, endoscopic and radiological. There are cases when bacteriological examination of feces and coprologic analysis are additionally carried out.
The diagnosis of this inflammatory disease of the rectum is formulated taking into account the severity and nature of the course of the disease and its phase, as well as the prevalence of the process in the intestine. At a time when patients with this inflammatory pathology are turning to a specialist, the prevalence of damage to the mucous by bleeding ulcers is practically in 20% of them, that is, it occupies practically the entire area of the intestinal epithelium. And almost half of them have proctosigmoiditis or proctitis.
How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?
Diagnosis of ulcerative nonspecific colitis usually begins with an analysis of the clinical examination and the making of an anamnesis( medical history).It is also necessary to clarify the doctor conducted earlier treatment. At the first examination, a palpation of the abdomen must also be performed without fail. With it, as a rule, painful symptoms are established, which are localized either in the entire abdomen, or in its left part.
The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is established only after the clinical picture of the disease has been assessed, and also the data of radiological and endoscopic studies have been obtained. Only they give the most complete clinical picture of the disease. The main diagnostic methods that can accurately detect ulcerative colitis are such as:
- Colonoscopy. It allows in detail to explore the inner walls and lumen of the large intestine;
- X-ray examination using barium and irrigoscopy makes it possible to detect pathological defects on the mucosa, as well as changes in the size( narrowing of the lumen) of the intestine and disturbance of peristalsis;
- For the visualization of the digestive organ the most effective method is diagnosis by means of computed tomography.
In addition, with nonspecific ulcerative colitis, it is necessary to make the coprogram. This is a test for latent blood.
It is necessary for ulcerative colitis and laboratory diagnostics. In the framework of her research such as a general and biochemical blood test, which show a complete picture of inflammation, and can also signal the presence of any accompanying pathologies in the patient.
As a result of these studies, it becomes possible not only to correctly diagnose, but also to identify pathological cells that led to the development of ulcerative colitis. Thanks to these methods, appropriate therapy with mono lonal antibodies, which are the most modern drugs, can be prescribed.
Their action is that they find and "tag" antibodies that promote the development of ulcerative colitis, and this helps the immune cells present in the body, detect them and kill them. For this reason monocast lonal antibodies and are used by specialists such popularity when prescribing drug therapy.
Differential diagnosis for ulcerative colitis
The clinical picture of this inflammatory bowel disease is often very similar to other colon diseases that can have both a non-infectious and an infectious etiology, therefore, for reliability, differential diagnosis is required.
Manifestations of nonspecific ulcerative colitis usually occur under the mask of other intestinal diseases. Usually it is such as:
- The very first manifestation of the disease is similar to acute dysentery. Therefore, to prevent errors in the diagnosis, the data of bacteriological examination and sigmoidoscopy are necessary;
- Salmonellosis is also quite often similar to ulcerative colitis, as it has similar symptoms( fever and diarrhea).The only difference between these diseases is that diarrhea with blood appears only in the second week after the onset of the disease in case of salmonellosis;
- It should also be noted and diseases such as pseudomembranous enterocolitis, gonorrhea proctitis and some viral pathologies. They can also be masked for ulcerative colitis, and without special differential diagnosis, it is quite difficult to distinguish their clinical patterns.
The most difficult is the differential diagnosis between such colitis as ulcerative and ischemic, as well as Crohn's disease. This is due to the fact that these diseases have much in common in their clinical pattern of leakage.
From all this it follows that it is possible to establish an accurate diagnosis only after carrying out the necessary studies.