What is the gold standard for diagnosing peptic ulcer disease?

The gold standard for diagnosing peptic ulcer disease is upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. This procedure allows direct visualization of the upper digestive tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. By using this method, clinicians can observe the presence of ulcers, assess their size and depth, and even obtain biopsies if necessary, which can help differentiate benign from malignant lesions.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is preferred because it provides both diagnostic insight and the ability to perform therapeutic interventions, such as cauterizing bleeding ulcers or dilating strictures. While other modalities like H. pylori testing can indicate the presence of the bacteria often responsible for ulcers and abdominal ultrasound or CT scans may be helpful in other contexts, they do not provide the same level of definitive diagnosis for peptic ulcers as endoscopy does.