Gastritis: Etiology and diagnosis - UpToDate

Gastric inflammatory diseases can be broadly categorized into gastritis and gastropathy based on the presence or absence of associated mucosal inflammation due to gastric injury. Gastritis is predominantly an inflammatory process, while the term gastropathy denotes a gastric mucosal disorder with minimal to no inflammation. Although the term "gastritis" is often used to describe endoscopic or radiologic characteristics of abnormal-appearing gastric mucosa, a diagnosis of gastritis requires histopathologic evidence of inflammation. This topic will review the etiology, classification, and diagnosis of gastritis. Specific causes of acute and chronic gastritis and gastropathy are presented in detail separately. (See "Acute hemorrhagic erosive gastropathy and reactive gastropathy" and "Acute and chronic gastritis due to Helicobacter pylori" and "Metaplastic (chronic) atrophic gastritis" and "Granulomatous gastritis".) DEFINITIONS Gastropathy — Epithelial cell damage and regeneration with mi

Gastric inflammatory diseases can be broadly categorized into gastritis and gastropathy based on the presence or absence of associated mucosal inflammation due to gastric injury. Gastritis is predominantly an inflammatory process, while the term gastropathy denotes a gastric mucosal disorder with minimal to no inflammation. Although the term "gastritis" is often used to describe endoscopic or radiologic characteristics of abnormal-appearing gastric mucosa, a diagnosis of gastritis requires histopathologic evidence of inflammation. This topic will review the etiology, classification, and diagno