<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
From: Murray @ intmed-po.int-med.uiowa.edu
Date: 07/10/96
 
"Negative biopsies"  may be reported in a celiac patient due one of several
reasons.
  -- The patient may already have been on a GFD
  -- The disease may be somewhat patchy therefore many would advocate doing
     3-4 samples from the small intestine.
  -- The pathologist may not recognise subtle changes that can be due to
     celiac disease.
  -- There may be some other process such as peptic ulcer disease that may
     occur simultaneously and mask the celiac disease changes.
Not medical advice
Joe Murray