Your doctor will usually need to do several tests to diagnose you with pernicious anemia. These include:
a complete blood count (CBC) test
a vitamin B-12 deficiency test
an IF deficiency test
a biopsy to look for cell damage in the stomach
Vitamin B-12 levels are assessed through a blood test. Low levels indicate a deficiency.
Your doctor may also want to see if there has been any damage to your stomach walls. This can be easily diagnosed through a biopsy. A biopsy removes a sample of the stomach’s cells. The cells are then examined microscopically for any damage.