Dysplastic Crypts in Asymmetric Branching in Ulcerative Colitis: A Preliminary Report.

Aim: To report the detection of dysplastic crypts in asymmetric branching (DCAB) in biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Patients And Methods: One hundred consecutive endoscopic biopsies from patients with UC undergoing surveillance were reviewed.

Results: Three biopsy/cases showed DCAB. The frequency of DCAB varied from two in one case, three in another case, and five in the remaining case.

Conclusion: The final outcome of DCAB is to generate two or more dysplastic asymmetric offspring-crypts. Repeated DCAB offspring formation, together with new DCAB, would boost the pool of dysplastic crypts, resulting in an exponential expansion of the mucosal area occupied by dysplasia in UC.