1994 Volume 36 Issue 11 Pages 2195-2201_1
A 58-year-old male with ulcerative colitis who manifested pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis during the treatment of ulcerative colitis is presented. He had intermittent episodes of bloody stools and showed positive reaction for fecal occult blood test. Barium enema and colonoscopy in November 1991 disclosed left-sided ulcerative colitis. He was given salazosulf apyridine, 3g per day. On a follow-up colonoscopy in August 1992, multiple submucosal tumor-like lesions were found in the ascending colon. Endoscopic ultrasonography with a miniature probe scanner showed high echoic areas with acoustic reflection and deep attenuation suggesting the presence of gas in the submucosal layer. An abdominal plain X-ray picture taken immediately after the colonoscopic examination revealed multiple cystic gas shadows along the ascending colon, resulting in the definitive diagnosis of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. The use of a miniature probe scanner is very useful in the differential diagnosis of submucosal tumors seen on colonoscopic examination.
