title: Endoscopic and radiographic features of gastrointestinal involvement in vasculitis.
abstract: Vasculitis is an inflammation of vessel walls, followed by alteration of the blood flow and damage to the dependent organ. Vasculitis can cause local or diffuse pathologic changes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The variety of GI lesions includes ulcer, submucosal edema, hemorrhage, paralytic ileus, mesenteric ischemia, bowel obstruction, and life-threatening perforation.The endoscopic and radiographic features of GI involvement in vasculitisare reviewed with the emphasis on small-vessel vasculitis by presenting our typical cases, including Churg-Strauss syndrome, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Behçet's disease. Important endoscopic features are ischemic enterocolitis and ulcer. Characteristic computed tomographic findings include bowel wall thickening with the target sign and engorgement of mesenteric vessels with comb sign. Knowledge of endoscopic and radiographic GI manifestations can help make an early diagnosis and establish treatment strategy.
authors.affiliation: Akira Hokama, Kazuto Kishimoto, Yasushi Ihama, Tetsuo Hirata, Futoshi Higa, Masao Tateyama, Jiro Fujita, Department of Infectious, Respiratory and Digestive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0125, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hokama
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ihama
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kobashigawa
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Nagisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.forename: Futoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Higa
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tateyama
authors.forename: Fukunori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.forename: Kunitoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iseki
authors.forename: Seiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fujita