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Types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Some people have a nonspecific form of IBD that is like ulcerative colitis but doesn't have all its features. This may be a different type of ulcerative colitis.

For up to 10% of people who have symptoms, neither Crohn's disease nor ulcerative colitis can be diagnosed.1 These people have a form of IBD called indeterminate colitis, which doctors believe is a combination of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Citations

  1. Sands BE (2006). Crohn's disease. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 8th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2459–2498. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology
Last Revised October 8, 2010

Last Revised: October 8, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology

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