Pseudomembranous colitis with presence of signet - ring cells: Report of two cases and literature review.
Authors
Maria Tzardi,
Michael Papadakis,
Elpida Giannikaki,
Galatia Datseri,
Elias A. Kouroumalis,
Alexandra Kalogeraki.
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, who was admitted to the hospital for urinary tract infection and was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics for a long period. During his hospitalization he developed abdominal pain and haematochezia. The second case concerns a 64-year-old woman who was 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.
