Pseudomembranous colitis with presence of signet - ring cells: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Abstract

WE DESCRIBE TWO CASES WITH PSEUDOMEMBRANOUS COLITIS:

the first case concerns a 73-year-old male patient with clinical history of cardiovascular disease and pulmonary insufficiency, admitted to the hospital for urinary tract infection and was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics for a long period of time. During his hospitalization he developed abdominal pain and haematochezia. The second case concerns a 64-year-old woman treated with antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia. After the treatment she developed abdominal pain and diarrhea. In both cases the colonic biopsy showed pseudomembranous colitis with presence of signet-ring cells within dilated crypts of the colonic mucosa. The presence of signet-ring cells is a rare finding in pseudomembranous colitis and may lead to misdiagnosis of signet-ring carcinoma of the colon.

• Authors: Maria Tzardi, Michael Papadakis, Elpida Giannikaki, Galatia Datseri, Elias A Kouroumalis, Alexandra Kalogeraki
• Journal: Annals of gastroenterology (Ann Gastroenterol) Vol. 24 Issue 3 Pg. 222-224 ( 2011) ISSN: 1108-7471 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 24713772 (Publication Type: Case Reports)