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Background: Tomographic finding of thickening of colon and terminal ileum and its correlation with colonoscopic findings has been poorly studied. Various radiographic patterns of intestinal thickening suggestive of benign disease have been described, but they cannot completely rule out malignancy., Objective: To determine if a relationship exists between colonic wall or terminal ileum thickening documented by computed tomography with abnormal colonoscopic findings and colon cancer., Methods: Retrospective study of radiology database of a tertiary hospital identifying patients with report of thickening of terminal ileum or colon and have colonoscopy performed. It was investigated the performance of endoscopic biopsies and histopathological outcome., Results: We included 24 patients. The main site of colonic thickening on CT was sigmoid in 8 (33.3%) cases. The most common colonoscopic finding was colorectal tumor probably malignant in 7 (29.2%) patients, but adenocarcinoma was reported in 8 (33.3%) patients. There was a statistically significant relationship between colonic thickening and colorectal cancer (p < 0.001) but no statistically significant association was found between thickening and sigmoid colon cancer. There was statistical significant correlation between weight loss, melena, anemia, constipation, diarrhea, and hematochezia with diagnosis of cancer (p < 0.01)., Conclusions: The finding of thickening of colon documented by computed tomography is significantly associated with the presence of colorectal carcinoma. Additional colonoscopy must always be performed in an attempt to elucidate the origin of this thickening.

Objective: To know the relationship between endoscopic esophagitis and H. pylori infection., Background: The incidence of gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease has declined in recent years, while GERD, Barrett esophagus, and distal esophageal adenocarcinoma have increased. Some authors think these epidemiologic changes are related to the simultaneous decrease in H. pylori colonization., Method: From 1997 to 1999, 192 patients underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy and detection of H. pylori (rapid urease test and/or seric antibodies and/or histologic examination and/or C13 marked urea). Patients were retrospectively divided according to endoscopic diagnosis of esophagitis (Savary-Miller) and positivity of any H. pylori test. Both groups were compared using Fisher exact test and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI 95%)., Results: A total of 80 (40.6%) were H. pylori-positive without esophagitis, and 18 (9.4%) had esophagitis and H. pylori positivity (p = 0.01) [OR = 0.39 (CI 95% = 0.15-0.62)]. Of the remaining 133 patients, after separating those who received treatment that could modify GERD (n = 59), and 50 (37.6%), were H. pylori without positive without esophagitis) 18 (13.5%) had esophagitis and H. pylori positivity maintaining significance p = 0.003) [OR 0.32 (CI 95% (-0.1)-0.8)]. The severity of the esophagitis (Savary-Miller) was compared with the presence of Helicobacter pylori, but no relationship was found (p = 0.3)., Conclusions: 1) Helicobacter pylori infection seems to be a protective factor for the presence of endoscopic esophagitis. 2) When esophagitis is present, the degree of damage appears to be independent of the H. pylori infection.