The details of mucosal surface in normal and inflamed lesions were investigated by magnifying colonoscope. Normal architecture of area colonicae (round or diamond-shaped) was easily visualized in colonic mucosa of healthy controls by the magnifying colonoscopy with dye-spraying contrast technique.
Even in remission stage of ulcerative colitis, the abnormalities of area colonicae such as irregularity, redness or disordered arrangement, associated with or without microerosions, were demonstrated by magnifying colonoscopy. Relapsing rates in patients without abnormalities by magnifying colonoscopy were lower than in those with abnormal findings.
In Crohn's disease, the magnifying colonoscopic observation with dye-spraying, revealed small erosions in the rectal mucosa with normal appearance. Two kinds of erosions, microerosions surrounded by almost normal architecture of the gland pits and small elevations associated with central erosions, were demonstrated by the close observation with high magnification.
The present study suggests that the precise observation of the colonic minute lesions with magnifying colonoscopy will be helpful to elucidate the pathophysiology of the earlier lesions in inflammatory bowel disease.
