ABSTRACT
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of inflammation confined to the mucosa and submucosa of the large bowel. The rectum is almost uniformly involved in the disease, and may occasionally be the only part of the bowel involved, termed ulcerative proctitis. In most patients, however, the inflamed mucosa extends proximal to the rectum and when encompassing the entire colon is termed pancolitis. Typically, the inflamed area is uniformly affected, in a continuous fashion, without the ‘‘skip lesions’’ typical to Crohn’s colitis.
