title: Common laboratory and diagnostic testing in patients with gastrointestinal disease.
abstract: Evaluating patients with gastrointestinal (GI) illness involves the use of many different diagnostic modalities, including laboratory studies, diagnostic imaging, and endoscopy. Rapid advances in all three areas have provided clinicians with a wide array of testing at their fingertips. The frequent challenge in evaluating a patient is deciding which testing will lead to a diagnosis in the most direct and efficient manner. This article reviews many of the tests that are considered in the evaluation of individuals with complaints referable to the GI tract.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, York, Pa., USA. elizstonesifer@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stonesifer
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D001706:Biopsy; D015984:Causality; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014563:Urodynamics