Synonyms
Collagenous colitis; Lymphocytic colitis
Definition
Microscopic colitis is an umbrella term for two major entities known as lymphocytic (LC) and collagenous colitis (CC). The term microscopic colitis (MC) describes a clinical pathological entity characterized by three elements: (a) a clinical history of chronic watery (non-bloody) diarrhea, (b) a normal or almost normal endoscopic appearance of the colon, and (c) a distinct histologic pattern. The latter can be either that of collagenous colitis (CC) or that of lymphocytic colitis. Therefore, the term microscopic colitis could be applied only from the endoscopic point of view in the presence of normal or almost normal endoscopic examination. Both LC and CC are clinically characterized by chronic watery diarrhea, while other conditions with normal endoscopy and abnormal histology may have other clinical characteristics. The pathogenesis is still not completely understood and probably multifactorial. It is suggested to represent...
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References and Further Reading
Fraser, A. G., Warren, B. F., Chandrapala, R., et al. (2002). Microscopic colitis: A clinical and pathological review. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 37, 1241–1245.
Kingham, J. G. C., Levison, D. A., Ball, J. A., et al. (1982). Microscopic colitis: A cause of chronic watery diarrhoea. British Medical Journal, 285, 1601–1604.
Langner C, Aust D, Ensari A, Villanacci V, Becheanu G, Miehlke S, Geboes K, Münch A; Working Group of Digestive Diseases of the European Society of Pathology (ESP) and the European Microscopic Colitis Group (EMCG) (2015) Histology of microscopic colitis-review with a practical approach for pathologists. Histopathology, 66(5), 613–626.
Sandmeier, D., & Bouzourene, H. (2004). Microscopic colitis with giant cells: A rare new histopathologic subtype? International Journal of Surgical Pathology, 12, 45–48.
Saurine, T. J., Brewer, J. M., & Eckstein, R. P. (2004). Microscopic colitis with granulomatous inflammation. Histopathology, 45, 82–86.
Tysk, C., Bohr, J., Nyhlin, N., Wickbom, A., & Eriksson, S. (2008). Diagnosis and management of microscopic colitis. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 14(48), 7280–7288.
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Ensari, A. (2017). Microscopic Colitis. In: Carneiro, F., Chaves, P., Ensari, A. (eds) Pathology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40560-5_1443
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40560-5_1443
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