Many MALS patients go through extensive testing before receiving a diagnosis, often because the symptoms overlap with many other gastrointestinal conditions. Common tests may include:
- Blood work — to check for infection, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, or other underlying conditions
- Colonoscopy — to evaluate the colon and rule out diseases such as Crohn’s, colitis, or cancer
- Endoscopy — to examine the esophagus, stomach, and upper digestive tract for ulcers, gastritis, reflux, or other abnormalities
- Celiac disease testing — blood tests and sometimes biopsies to rule out gluten-related autoimmune disease
- CT scan or CT angiogram — to look for compression of the celiac artery and other abdominal abnormalities
- Gastric Emptying Test - how slow/fast food travels through ones body
Many patients are told their tests are “normal” before MALS is eventually identified by a vascular specialist familiar with the condition.
