Stomach Ulcer Diagnosis

A stomach or peptic ulcer is a circular sore that occurs when the lining of the stomach or the duodenum has been worn away from digestive juices and stomach acid. Stomach ulcers can come from gastritis or a Heliobacter pylori infection. Treatment may include antacids, antibiotics and other drugs. However, before treatment can be given, a stomach ulcer diagnosis must first be made. Since bleeding, perforation or other serious complications can occur, a stomach ulcer diagnosis is essential.

Physical Exam

• The first part in the stomach ulcer diagnosis process is seeing a doctor. A physician will examine the patient and discuss all of the symptoms that patient is experiencing.

Symptoms

• Stomach ulcer symptoms can vary. A common symptom is abdominal pain. It is also possible to have mild symptoms or none at all. The severity of the symptoms does not indicate the severity of the stomach ulcer. Even those who have ulcers come back can have no pain. Other stomach ulcer symptoms include a burning sensation in the upper abdominal area and/or hunger pangs one to three hours after eating and in the middle of the night.

Endoscopy

• In order to verify a stomach ulcer diagnosis, a doctor may order an exam of the upper digestive tract, called an endoscopy. During an endoscopy, a patient is sedated. The doctor inserts a small instrument with a tube and a camera down the throat and inside the stomach. An endoscopy is the most reliable tool for diagnosing a stomach ulcer, but it is still possible for a doctor to miss tiny ulcers that may be present yet hard to see clearly. Ulcers can be found on the wall of the stomach as well as in the duodenum, which is part of the small intestine between the stomach and the jejunum.

Endoscopic Biopsies

• During the endoscopy, if the doctor sees anything suspicious or to check if a gastric ulcer is cancerous, she will use an endoscope to take a biopsy (a small tissue sample to be sent to a special lab and examined under a microscope). This biopsy can also help determine if a certain bacteria, H. pylori, is present. Also during the endoscopy, the doctor can halt bleeding from the ulcer and possibly decrease future bleeding.

X-Ray

• Sometimes an x-ray is used to help determine a stomach ulcer diagnosis. X-rays of the stomach and duodenum are taken using barium contrast. A patient is instructed to swallow liquid (barium) in order for the x-ray to better show the stomach and duodenum. X-rays help the doctor to evaluate the size and severity of a stomach ulcer. It can be hard to determine during an endoscopy if the ulcer is hidden by a fold or is further down the duodenum.