EOSINOPHILIC ENTEROCOLITIS DIAGNOSED BY MEANS OF TC-99M ALBUMIN SCINTIGRAPHY AND TREATED WITH BUDESONIDE (CIR)

A patient with a 15 year history of diarrhoea of unknown origin is des cribed. Scintigraphy with technetium-99m labelled albumin suggested al bumin loss at the terminal ileum and caecum; subsequent colonoscopic b iopsies of these macroscopically normal looking areas showed abundant infiltration with eosinophils. A diagnosis of eosinophilic enterocolit is was made. Treatment with prednisolone had good results, but had to be stopped because of severe side effects. Oral cromoglycate and mesal azine were not effective. Budesonide (CIR), a new topically active cor ticosteroid with very little systemic effects, was at least as effecti ve as prednisolone without producing side effects.