[Endoscopic diagnosis of ulcerative colitis]

Endoscopic findings of ulcerative colitis are classified into three groups according to the degree of inflammation, i.e. mild, moderate and severe. 1)mild: Edema, erythema, yellow spots, fine granular appearance are conspicuous signs of early disease. The mucosal vascular pattern disappears. 2)moderate: Coarse mucosa with mucous, pus, blood are characteristic findings. Erosions or shallow ulcers are scattered. The erythematous mucosa is friable and bleeds easily. 3)severe: There are deep, widespread ulcers. Marked bleeding is seen from granulation tissue of ulcer base. We remind that inflammation often take a turn for the worse due to endoscopic examination. Total colonoscopy is not always necessary in the cases of ulcerative colitis.