Abstract Microscopic colitis is a diagnostic term that describes two distinct but clinically overlapping entities: collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. Both conditions are characterised by the triad of chronic, non-bloody/watery…
Abstract The development of the ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has led to significant improvements in the quality of life for patients after proctocolectomy. The complex anatomy of the pouch…
Abstract Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic, immune-mediated condition caused by exposure to dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. The prevalence of CD in the general population is estimated at…
Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) typically involves the large bowel, small bowel (ileum / jejunum), or both. Involvement of the upper GI tract is less common, although its frequency is…
Abstract A wide variety of insults including infectious agents, medications and endogenous and environmental chemical substances may cause injury to the gastric mucosa. This may take the form of inflammation…
Abstract Gastrointestinal biopsies comprise a substantial minority of the workload of most histopathology departments. Assessment of IBD, whether new or longstanding, is among the more challenging tasks that face pathologists….
Abstract Vascular disorders of the gastrointestinal tract range from non-symptomatic lesions to acute life-threatening disorders. Generally, they can be classified as ischemic or bleeding, although this is often a superficial…
Abstract The recognition of specific oesophageal infections and the distinction between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and rarer forms of oesophagitis are key tasks for gastrointestinal pathologists reading mucosal biopsies. Infections can…
Abstract A common clinical indication for duodenal biopsy is the exclusion of coeliac disease / gluten sensitive enteropathy. However, a variety of inflammatory and infectious disorders may affect the duodenum,…
Abstract Biopsies of gastric mucosa, obtained at endoscopy, are common in routine pathology practice. The material ranges from single random biopsies of macroscopically normal or near-normal mucosa to detailed series…
