Expert: Neha Dahiya MD - 10/3/2009

Question
I had a colonoscopy with biopsies that indicated increased numbers of lamina propria eosinophils and reactive lymphoid follicles/nodules. I have been previously diagnosed as having crohns.
What do these results mean?

Answer
Hello J:

if you have had a definitive diagnosis of Crohn's this present biopsy would be part of the same process.

The inflammatory cells like lymphocytes are arranged in groups in the lamina propria (one of the layers of the intestinal wall). These are called lymphoid follicles and when they are in response to some stimulus - foreign body / immune mediated etc they are called reactive follicle.

On their own this finding is non specific and indicates non specific colitis (inflammation of colon)