Egyptian Board Gastroenterology & Hepatology key terms

A four-grade endoscopic system (A–D) for reflux esophagitis based on the extent of mucosal breaks relative to the mucosal folds, used to standardize reporting and guide management.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease with typical symptoms and abnormal acid exposure but no visible mucosal breaks on endoscopy; comprises a heterogeneous group with lower response to acid suppression than erosive disease.

Replacement of distal esophageal squamous mucosa by columnar epithelium with intestinal metaplasia, a premalignant condition requiring surveillance; defined endoscopically by salmon-colored mucosa extending above the gastroesophageal junction.

A primary esophageal motility disorder characterized by absent or impaired lower esophageal sphincter relaxation and absent peristalsis, causing progressive dysphagia to solids and liquids; diagnosed by manometry.

A standardized system for diagnosing esophageal motility disorders using high-resolution manometry metrics such as integrated relaxation pressure and distal contractile integral, updated periodically.

A catheter-based test measuring pressures and coordination along the esophagus during swallows, used to diagnose motility disorders and evaluate the lower esophageal sphincter before antireflux surgery.

Elimination of H. pylori infection with guideline-based antibiotic combinations, typically a proton pump inhibitor plus two or three antibiotics; confirmed by a non-serologic test at least four weeks after therapy.

A noninvasive test for active H. pylori infection that detects labeled carbon dioxide produced when bacterial urease splits ingested labeled urea; requires withholding acid suppression and antibiotics beforehand.

A break in the gastroduodenal mucosa extending through the muscularis mucosae, most often caused by H. pylori or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; complications include bleeding, perforation, and gastric outlet obstruction.

An endoscopic grading of peptic ulcer bleeding stigmata (Ia spurting, Ib oozing, IIa visible vessel, IIb adherent clot, IIc flat spot, III clean base) that predicts rebleeding risk and guides endoscopic therapy.

An immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten, causing villous atrophy and malabsorption; diagnosed by positive serology (tissue transglutaminase IgA) and confirmatory duodenal biopsy while on a gluten-containing diet.

Histologic flattening or loss of small intestinal villi with crypt hyperplasia, the hallmark of celiac disease and other enteropathies; graded by the Marsh classification.

An enzyme targeted by IgA autoantibodies in celiac disease; IgA anti-tTG is the preferred screening serology, but IgA deficiency requires IgG-based testing to avoid false negatives.

A chronic transmural inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, often with skip lesions, fistulas, and perianal involvement; diagnosis integrates clinical, endoscopic, radiologic, and histologic findings.

A chronic inflammatory bowel disease confined to the colonic mucosa, typically beginning in the rectum and extending proximally in a continuous pattern; characterized by bloody diarrhea and urgency.

A neutrophil-derived protein measured in stool that reflects intestinal inflammation; used to distinguish inflammatory bowel disease from irritable bowel syndrome and to monitor disease activity.

A composite index for ulcerative colitis activity combining stool frequency, rectal bleeding, endoscopic findings, and a physician's global assessment; used in trials and to define clinical response and remission.

The stepwise model in which colorectal adenomas accumulate genetic and epigenetic alterations over years before becoming invasive cancer; it underpins screening and polypectomy.

A colorectal precursor lesion with serrated crypts and often BRAF mutation, arising through a pathway distinct from conventional adenomas; it may be flat, right-sided, and difficult to detect.

Testing asymptomatic average-risk adults to detect cancer or premalignant lesions early; options include colonoscopy, stool-based tests, and imaging, with intervals and age ranges set by guidelines.

A viral protein marker of active hepatitis B replication and high infectivity; its loss with seroconversion to anti-HBe often precedes disease remission but can occur with precore or core promoter mutations.

A quantitative measure of circulating hepatitis B viral load used to assess replication, decide antiviral treatment, and monitor response; expressed in IU/mL.

Periodic imaging, usually ultrasound with or without alpha-fetoprotein, in patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B to detect liver cancer at a curable stage; recommended every six months in eligible patients.

A prognostic score for cirrhosis combining bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time or INR, ascites, and encephalopathy; it stratifies severity into classes A, B, and C and informs prognosis and surgical risk.

A score using bilirubin, INR, creatinine, and sometimes sodium to estimate short-term mortality in cirrhosis; used to prioritize liver transplant candidates and assess severity.

Bacterial infection of the biliary tree, usually complicating obstruction by stones or stricture; presents with fever, jaundice, and right upper quadrant pain and requires antibiotics plus biliary drainage.

Stones within the common bile duct, which may cause pain, jaundice, cholangitis, or pancreatitis; suspected on imaging and managed by endoscopic stone removal.

An endoscopic procedure combining duodenoscopy, biliary or pancreatic duct cannulation, contrast imaging, and therapeutic interventions such as sphincterotomy or stent placement.

The use of endoscopic techniques such as injection, thermal coagulation, or clips to stop or prevent gastrointestinal bleeding from lesions including ulcers and varices.

A pre-endoscopic risk score for upper gastrointestinal bleeding using blood urea, hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and clinical signs; a very low score identifies patients suitable for outpatient management.

An endoscopic classification of superficial gastrointestinal lesions by morphology (polypoid, nonpolypoid, and ulcerated types) and size, used to predict invasive risk and guide endoscopic resection.

An advanced endoscopic technique that removes superficial neoplasms en bloc by dissecting the submucosal layer, allowing precise histologic assessment and curative treatment of early gastrointestinal cancer.

Neoplastic change of epithelium that remains confined within the basement membrane, graded as low or high grade; in the gastrointestinal tract it is a marker of cancer risk and a target for resection or surveillance.

A potentially fatal shift of electrolytes, especially phosphate, potassium, and magnesium, after reintroducing nutrition in a malnourished patient; prevented by gradual caloric advancement and electrolyte monitoring.

A structured process to identify patients likely to benefit from nutritional assessment and support, using tools such as NRS-2002 or MUST that combine weight change, intake, and disease severity.

Delivery of nutrients into the gastrointestinal tract by tube or mouth when oral intake is insufficient; preferred over parenteral nutrition when the gut is functional because it preserves mucosal integrity and reduces infection.

The number of patients who must receive an intervention to prevent one additional adverse outcome, calculated as the reciprocal of the absolute risk reduction; a smaller value indicates greater clinical benefit.

A study in which participants are randomly allocated to intervention or control groups to minimize selection bias and support causal inference about treatment effects.

A range of values that, with a specified probability, contains the true population effect estimate; its width reflects precision and its exclusion of the null value indicates statistical significance.

The process of obtaining a patient's voluntary agreement to a procedure or research participation after explaining purpose, risks, benefits, alternatives, and the right to refuse.