Do doctors have to write on an endoscopy report if they suspect barretts esophagus or can they just leave it out and wait for the biopsy report? in order to not worry the patient? or do they legally have to write what they see?

Typically, doctors write what they see when it comes to any test like an endoscopy. If they suspect Barrett’s they would write what they observed and that biopsies were taken. They may not diagnose the Barrett’s until the biopsies come back but they would write what the esophagus looked like. Follow up with GI. Good luck!

A working diagnosis is usually needed for billing purposes and is formulated based on history and findings. Many times the diagnosis is confirmed, some other times it is not, pathology reports are needed if biopsied.