Gastritis

A healthcare provider will start by asking you about your symptoms and health history. They might suspect gastritis based on your answers, but they won’t know for sure if you have it without testing for it. They might begin with an imaging test, such as an upper GI series, a series of X-rays of your upper GI tract. This test can detect ulcers or erosion in your stomach lining, though not always gastritis itself.

The real proof of gastritis is microscopic, so a healthcare provider will need a tissue sample to confirm it. They can take a sample (biopsy) during an upper endoscopy exam. This exam goes inside your upper GI tract with a tiny camera on the end of a long catheter (endoscope). An endoscopist can take a biopsy through the endoscope. They’ll usually recognize gastritis visually even before the biopsy confirms it.

You might need additional tests to isolate the cause of gastritis or to check for complications. Your provider may order:

• Blood tests.
• Stool test.
• H. pylori breath test.