Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Radiation proctitis differential diagnosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Radiation proctitis must be differentiated from infectious colitis,inflammatory bowel disease,ischemic colitis,medication-associated colitis,chemical colitis and allergic colitis
Differentiating Radiation proctitis from other Diseases
Differentiating Radiation proctitis from other Diseases
The following conditions may present in a similar manner as radiation proctitis, and should be excluded:[1]
- Infectious colitis,
- Inflammatory bowel disease,
- Ischemic colitis,
- Medication-associated colitis
- Chemical colitis
- Allergic colitis
The table below lists the differential diagnosis of common causes of colitis:
| Diseases | History and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Laboratory findings | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diarrhea | Rectal bleeding | Abdominal pain | Radiation exposure | Atopy | Dehydration | Fever | Hypotension | Malnutrition | Blood in stool (frank or occult) | Microorganism in stool | Imaging | Pseudomembranes on endoscopy | |
| Allergic Colitis | + | ++ | + | – | ++ | – | – | – | – | ++ | – | – | – |
| Chemical colitis | + | ++ | ++ | – | – | + | + | – | – | ++ | – | – | + |
| Infectious colitis | ++ | ++ | ++ | – | – | +++ | +++ | ++ | + | ++ | ++ | CT shows bowel wall thickening and edema | + |
| Radiation proctitis | + | ++ | + | ++ | – | + | – | – | + | ++ | – | – | – |
| Ischemic colitis | + | + | ++ | – | – | + | + | + | + | ++ | – | Abdomen xray shows distention and pneumonitis
CT scan suggestive of double halo appearance and thumb printing sign |
– |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | ++ | ++ | Diffuse + | – | – | +/- | +/- | – | + | ++ | – | String sign on abdominal xray in Crohn’s | – |
| Medication induced colitis | + | + | ++ | – | – | – | + | – | – | ++ | – | – | + |
References
References
- ↑ Babb RR (1996). “Radiation proctitis: a review”. Am J Gastroenterol. 91 (7): 1309–11. PMID 8677984.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rekha, M.D., Mahshid Mir, M.D. [2]