<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Joanne E Hameister wrote:

>At the Canadian Celiac Conference in Montreal in 1996, it was noted that
>8-15% of  biopsies might (I emphasize 'might')  produce false negative
>results.  According to my doctor, this lack of sensitivity is a sampling
>error, ex. the doctor not taking a sufficient number of samples and/or
>not sampling in the appropriate area of the jejunum.

You also have to include a varied interpretation of the biopsy slides. As
you can see below there is a progression in how the mucosa becomes damaged
(which is actually reversed below). It is my understanding that many
pathologists in the US have a rather high standard before they make a
diagnosis. A high standard being only the first of the five criteria are
used to make a diagnosis.

Taken from THE SPRUE-NIK PRESS, September 1995

The University of Maryland School of Medicine sponsored a conference
on July 14-15, 1995 entitled "Celiac Disease:  The Dark Side of the
Gastrointestinal Planet". [snipped...]

 ..........................................................
 :              Pathology of Celiac Disease               :
 :              ---------------------------               :
 : by Salvatore Auricchio, MD     summarized by Jim Lyles :
 :........................................................:

Dr. Auricchio is Professor and Chairman of Pediatrics at the
University Frederico II in Naples, Italy.

CD manifests itself in the small intestine.  A distinct pattern of
abnormalities has been observed [comments in braces have been added by
Jim Lyles]:

  *  villous atrophy [partial or complete flattening of the
     finger-like projections in the small intestine]

  *  hyperplasia of the crypts of Lieberkuhn [the crypts under the
     villi become highly elongated when compared with normal crypts]

  *  increased plasma cell and lymphocyte infiltration of the lamina
     propria [more lymphocytes under the epithelial or outer layer of
     the villi.  Lymphocytes are the cells that fight off viruses,
     etc.]

  *  increased intraepithelial lymphocytes [more lymphocytes within
     the epithelial cells.  The epithelial cells form the outer layer
     of the intestine and allow nutrients to pass through from the
     intestine into the bloodstream]

  *  abnormalities in the epithelial cells which become flattened,
     cuboidal, and pseudo- stratified [layered].