In Crohn’s Disease any part of your digestive system can be inflamed and damaged, but trouble usually occurs in the large intestine and lower portion of the small intestine. Your doctor may order blood tests, which can reveal infections if your white blood cell count is high as well as iron and other mineral deficiencies (caused by poor absorption and chronic diarrhea). Stool checks can uncover intestinal bleeding and infections. But your doctor will probably want to take a closer look with X-rays to check the extent of inflammation in your large and small intestine. Or, she may perform a colonoscopy (using a camera on a long, thin tube) to inspect your intestines and snip tissue samples for testing.

• A colonoscopy can help distinguish between Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis 85% of the time.
• If your digestive system is too inflamed or sensitive for a colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy (a camera inside a capsule that you swallow) is a good alternative.
• Before a colonoscopy or capsule endoscopy you’ll be asked to follow a bowel-cleansing routine with a liquid diet, laxatives and/or enemas to clear your colon.
• Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans can spot trouble that’s spread beyond intestines, such as abscesses or openings called fistulas.
• Before X-rays, you may be asked to drink a barium solution or be given a barium enema. It shows up white on an X-Ray and can point out inflamed areas.

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