Diffuse colonic capillary hemangioma mimicking ulcerative colitis.

ABSTRACT

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis requires clinical, laboratory, endoscopic and histologic findings, and sometimes it can become a challenge. An exhaustive differential diagnosis with infectious disease, immunodeficiencies, hematologic, neoplastic, or vascular diseases must be made1, since prognosis and treatment vary depending on etiology. We present the case of a 62-year-old man, with no personal history of interest, who undergoes a colonoscopy after a positive colorectal cancer screening test (fecal occult blood test). In the endoscopy, a continuous involvement was observed from the anal margin to the splenic flexure, with erythematous mucosa, loss of vascular pattern, and alternating scar areas with neovessels. Histopathological findings were compatible with diffuse capillary hemangioma. Since no symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding nor anemia were referred, periodic surveillance was carried out.