Your physician or nurse practitioner may order blood work or stool testing based on your symptoms or health history. In some cases, they may also order specific tests, such as a breath test or iron studies, to help get a full picture of your health. If you have questions about a test your provider has ordered, please contact our office.
Common lab tests
CBC
Complete Blood Count or CBC with differential measures the size and number of a group of cells in your blood. It includes:
- Red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body.
- Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that carry the oxygen.
- White blood cells, which fight off infections.
- Platelets, which help clot blood.
A CBC with differential means it includes the different types of white blood cells like neutrophils. A CBC test can detect for conditions like anemia.
CMP
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel or CMP measures 14 different substances in your body including minerals, proteins and glucose (blood sugar). Physicians often order CBC and CMP at the same time to assess your overall health
Vitamin B12
Measures how much vitamin B12 that is in your blood. Celiac and Crohn’s disease can cause vitamin B12 deficiency to due lack of absorption.
Folic Acid
Measures the amount of vitamin B9 that is in your blood. People with celiac and Crohn’s disease can be folic deficient due to lack of absorption. Physicians often order Vitamin B12 and folic acid at the same time.
Vitamin D
This test measures the amount of vitamin D in your blood, which your body needs to absorb calcium and build strong bones and teeth. Because few foods contain vitamin D naturally, some people don’t get enough, and conditions like celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and liver disease can raise your risk of deficiency.
CRP
C-Reactive Protein or CRP measures the level of c-reactive protein in your blood, which is a protein your liver produces. Low levels of CRP are normally in your blood but your body will release more if you have inflammation, which can indicate an infection. A blood test like CRP can monitor inflammation if you have ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease as well.
TB
Tuberculosis or TB test will tell you if you have TB bacteria in your body. TB is an infection of the lungs which can cause coughing, chest pain and fever. People with chronic long term conditions like Crohn’s or liver disease are at higher risk for TB infection.
Iron Tests
Iron is important because it carries oxygen from your lungs and carries to all over your body, and aids is growth and development.
Iron
Measures the amount of iron in your blood. An iron test can detect iron deficiency anemia and check for liver disease.
TIBC
Total Iron-Binding Capacity or TIBC measures how well iron attaches to proteins in your blood. Often, Iron and TIBC are ordered together.
Ferritin
Measures how much iron is in your body.
Stool Tests
Fecal calprotectin
This stool test measures calprotectin, a protein that is normally present in small amounts in your stool. Unusually high levels can be a sign of inflammation in your intestines, which may point to conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or an infection.
C-diff
This stool test checks for Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and fever. C. diff spreads easily when hands aren’t washed after using the bathroom, and your risk is higher during or after antibiotic use, since antibiotics can kill the good bacteria in your gut along with the bad, giving C. diff room to grow.
Stool culture
A stool culture test can detect viruses and other bacteria in your poop. It can cause diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, stomach cramping and loss of appetite.
Ova and parasite
This stool test checks for intestinal parasites and their eggs, known as ova. Parasitic infections can spread when someone doesn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom and then touches surfaces that others touch later.
Liver Tests
Anti-nuclear antibody
(ANA) This blood tests for antinuclear antibodies in your blood. You usually have a low amount of antinuclear antibodies in your body but an antinuclear antibody attacks healthy cells; which can be a sign of an autoimmune disease like autoimmune hepatitis.
Anti-smooth muscle antibody
Anti smooth muscle antibody is a type of antibody that attacks your body’s healthy cells; which is usually a sign of autoimmune hepatitis.
Anti-mitochondrial antibody
This blood test checks for anti-mitochondrial antibodies, which are not normally found in the blood of healthy people. It is most often used to help diagnose primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a chronic liver disease in which the bile ducts become inflamed and damaged over time.
Ceruloplasmin
Ceruloplasmin is a protein made by your liver and attaches to a mineral called copper. Your liver then releases ceruloplasmin in your blood so it can carry copper to other parts of your body. If you have below normal ceruloplasmin levels, this could be a sign of liver or other diseases.
Alpha 1 antitrypsin phenotype
AAT is protein made by your liver and helps protect your lungs from irritants such as smoke, pollution or dust. If your liver doesn’t make enough, your lungs could be susceptible to damage and diseases like COPD and cirrhosis. This test is usually used to find if you have an AAT deficiency, which is genetic.
Hepatitis A total antibodies
This blood test checks whether you have been infected with the hepatitis A virus (HAV), a disease that can damage your liver. The virus is found in the poop of an infected person and typically spreads through contaminated food or water, often when someone doesn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom.
Hepatitis B surface antigen
Also known as HBsAG, this test checks to see if you have the hepatitis B virus (surface antigen) in your blood. Hepatitis B is a disease that can damage your liver. If it is positive, it means you have been infected with the virus. Hepatitis B can be caused by contact with contaminated needles, contact with infected blood or sexual fluids and unprotected sex.
Hepatitis B surface antibody
Also known as HBsAB, this test will check to see if you are protected against the virus. A positive test results indicates immune protection against the hepatitis B virus, either through the vaccine or a previous infection. Like hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A is a disease that can damage your liver. Hepatitis B can be caused by contact with contaminated needles, contact with infected blood or sexual fluids and unprotected sex.
Hepatitis C antibody
This blood test checks whether you have been infected with the hepatitis C virus, which, like hepatitis A and B, can cause inflammation and damage to the liver. Most people with hepatitis C have no symptoms, so testing is especially important if you have shared needles, are pregnant, have HIV, or have been exposed to hepatitis C-positive blood.
Hepatitis A, B, and C are the three most common types of hepatitis, and while vaccines exist for A and B, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, which can lead to chronic liver damage. Because many people with hepatitis C don’t know they’re infected, the CDC recommends that all adults be tested at least once in their lifetime.
Breath Tests
Breath Testing Through Aerodiagnostics
Suburban Gastroenterology has partnered with Aerodiagnostics to provide breath testing for our patients. Please note that our office does not verify insurance coverage or submit prior authorizations, pre-determinations, or claims for any testing, so we recommend contacting your insurance carrier before your test to ask about lab coverage and prior authorization requirements, as these vary by plan.
Questions about billing or coverage? Contact Aerodiagnostics at 617-608-3832 or customerservice@aerodiagnostics.com.
Questions about a breath test your provider ordered? Please contact our office at 630-527-6450
SIBO breath test
This test can check for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine. SIBO can lead to symptoms like gas and diarrhea if there is too much bad bacteria in your small intestine.
Lactose, glucose, sucrose, fructose breath tests
These are sugars which can be hard for some people to digest and can also cause symptoms like gas and diarrhea. These tests will check to see if your body is intolerant to anyone of those sugars.
Reviewed September 2026