The Value of Rectal Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease

Abstract

Dyer, N. H., Stansfeld, A. G. & Dawson, A. M. 1970. The Value of Rectal Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease. Scand. J. Gastroent. 5, 491-496.

Ninety-seven rectal biopsies were performed in 79 patients with Crohn’s disease; 72% were abnormal and 23 % showed features diagnostic of Crohn’s disease. Abnormal biopsies were found in 46% with ileal disease, and 12.5 % showed diagnostic features which were invariably associated with peri-anal lesions. In colon disease, 73 % had abnormal biopsies; these became more common as the disease involved the distal colon and diagnostic biopsies were only obtained when disease was distal to the splenic flexure, when they were independent of peri-anal lesions. Twenty-seven of 30 biopsies from patients with peri-anal lesions were abnormal. Abnormal biopsies occurred with all types of sigmoidoscopic appearance, but diagnostic features were common with macroscopical evidence of Crohn’s disease.

Key-words::

• Biopsy, rectal
• enteritis, regional
• sigmoidoscopy, colitis