Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia: A marker of low-grade inflammation in irritable bowel syndrome?

Figure 6 Colonic nodular lymphoid hyperplasia in symptomatic patients constitutes a “minimal lesions colitis” that might be triggered by Nickel or other factors (such as immunodeficiency states, infections, hypersensitivity reactions, chronic constipation). We speculate that minimal lesions colitis (MLC) could represent a distinct pathologic entity in a subset of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and systemic Ni allergy syndrome (SNAS) patients, and it might prelude to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).