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Proctitis (cont.)

Exams and Tests

The diagnosis of proctitis is based on the suspected cause.

  • Your health care provider will take a thorough medical history to determine your sexual practices and if you have any high-risk behaviors.
  • Most cases of suspected proctitis require a procedure called a proctosigmoidoscopy.  A lighted tube with a camera is passed through the anus and used to look at the surface of your rectum. The image is projected on a TV screen and is magnified to identify changes.
  • In addition, your doctor also may take a biopsy (small piece of tissue) of your rectum for testing for disease or infection. 

  • Any discharge present will undergo lab testing to identify sexually transmitted organisms.
  • Doctors also frequently test your blood for the presence of antibodies to support the diagnosis.



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Proctitis »

Proctitis is inflammation of the lining of the rectum, called the rectal mucosa.

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