The role of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in the diagnosis of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract involvement is frequently reported in pediatric Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Aside from granulomas, most findings are nonspecific. The aims of this study were to review the prevalence of UGI tract findings in pediatric patients with CD or UC at diagnosis and to describe differences in endoscopic and histologic features.

Abdominal wall desmoid tumors associated with pregnancy: current concepts.

The desmoid tumors (DTs) are unusual soft-tissue tumors that have a propensity for aggressive local growth and may develop during, or soon after pregnancy. Pregnancy-associated DTs are uncommon and optimal management of this tumor has yet to be defined. Currently, controversy centers on the timing of surgical resection and is influenced by the potential for tumor growth and the effects of a gravid uterus.

Gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic mastocytosis.

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare disease with abnormal proliferation and infiltration of mast cells in the skin, bone marrow, and viscera including the mucosal surfaces of the digestive tract. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms occur in 14%-85% of patients with systemic mastocytosis. The GI symptoms may be as frequent as the better known pruritus, urticaria pigmentosa, and flushing.

Incidental littoral cell angioma of the spleen.

Background: Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a recently described primary vascular neoplasm of the spleen that may be associated with other malignancies and may itself also have malignant potential.

Case Presentation: We present a case of LCA that was discovered incidentally in a 52-year-old woman who presented with biliary colic at the time of consultation for cholecystectomy. This vascular neoplasm was evaluated by ultrasound, CT, MRI, Tc-99m labelled red blood cell scintigraphy, and core biopsy.