Differential Diagnosis for Green Stool
- Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Bile pigment: The most common cause of green stool is the presence of bile pigments, which are normally produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When bile is released into the intestines, it can give stool a greenish color, especially if the transit time is rapid.
- Other Likely Diagnoses
- Viral gastroenteritis: Certain viruses, such as norovirus, can cause green stool due to the rapid transit of bile through the intestines.
- Food or medication: Consuming foods or medications that contain green dye or have a high concentration of chlorophyll can temporarily turn stool green.
- Malabsorption: Conditions like celiac disease or pancreatic insufficiency can lead to malabsorption of nutrients, resulting in green stool.
- Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Intussusception: A rare but potentially life-threatening condition where a portion of the intestine telescopes into another, causing bowel obstruction and potentially green stool due to the presence of bile.
- Volvulus: A condition where the intestine twists around its mesentery, cutting off blood flow and potentially causing green stool due to ischemia.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause green stool due to inflammation and ulceration of the intestinal lining.
- Rare Diagnoses
- Giardiasis: A parasitic infection caused by Giardia lamblia, which can lead to green stool due to malabsorption and intestinal inflammation.
- Whipple's disease: A rare bacterial infection that can cause malabsorption and green stool due to intestinal inflammation.
- Pseudomembranous colitis: A condition caused by overgrowth of Clostridioides difficile, which can lead to green stool due to intestinal inflammation and pseudomembrane formation.