One thing that the medical profession is agreed on with regard to EGID is how to diagnose. There is only ONE way to diagnose an Eosinophilic disorder. This is done by taking biopsies whilst carrying out 2 different procedures called, Endoscopy (sometimes called Gastroscopy) and Colonoscopy. See below for a description of each:
Endoscopy (or Gastroscopy)
Endoscopy is a non-surgical procedure in which a flexible fibre-optic tube is passed down the throat into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The endoscope sends images of the inside of the GI tract to a screen. The doctor will be able to visually examine the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. Fine instruments are then inserted through the endoscope and biopsies are taken. It is these biopsies that will be sent away to check for eosinophilic infiltration. The link below gives more information from Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Colonscopy is another non-surgical procedure that allows examination of the full length of the colon. As with endoscopy, images can be viewed by the Doctor on a screen. Again, biopsies are taken and sent for analysis. In preparation for a colonoscopy, the bowel needs to be completely clear of faecal matter, this allows the Doctor to see clearly. Below is a link to a Great Ormond Street Hospital leaflet outlining the full procedure.
Once the biopsies have been taken, they will be sent to the laboratory to be checked by the pathologist. Diagnosis of an Eosinophilic Disorder will depend on the number of eosinophils per high powered field. If a diagnosis of a variant of EGID is confirmed, the consultant will discuss the best course of action to take. There is plenty of knowledge in the UK of these disorders, however there seems to be very little agreement on a standard way of treating the illness. By increasing both public and professional awareness of EGID, we at FABED hope to help the medical profession work toward this.
