Malignant 'angiodysplasia'

Four patients with chronic gastrointestinal blood loss of obscure aetiology were investigated by visceral angiography. All showed angiographic abnormalities in the caecum with characteristic features seen in angiodysplasia as well as other conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, carcinoma. All four patients had a malignant cause for their angiographic appearance. This paper stresses the importance of reviewing previous examinations before accepting a diagnosis of angiodysplasia. The angiographic features of contrast pooling on the anti-mesenteric border of the caecum or ascending colon, a dilated intramural vein and early filling of a draining vein imply that serious pathology is present.