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The gastrointestinal tract is a major part of the digestive system, and its health is vital to our overall wellbeing.
Changes in digestive habits, such as blood in the stool or pain in the stomach, may indicate a disease or infection in the gastrointestinal tract.
If your doctor suspects that something is wrong, he or she may order a colonoscopy or upper endoscopy.
Doctors can see the lining of the digestive tract during these tests, and they can also remove tissue samples for analysis.
A specialist in gastrointestinal pathology will examine these samples under a microscope for signs of disease or of cancer.
He or she will evaluate the findings and provide your doctor with a pathologic diagnosis, which will help your doctor plan your treatment.
Learn more about gastrointestinal pathology from the Department of Pathology.
If you're waiting for test results or have a question for your doctor, sign in to UPMC HealthTrak. HealthTrak is a secure, interactive tool that lets you manage your health online.
Learn how you can help us help others by supporting our pathology research.
