Confusing Medical Terminology: Crypt Hyperplasia, Etc

[Coolclimates]

I've been looking over my intestinal biopsy reports and there are a few medical terms that I don't understand.

I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but the report is very technical and hard to understand.

For instance, it says I have "significant infiltration by lymphocytes." What does that mean? Also it says I have "crypt hyperplasia" and "intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration." What the on earth does that mean??

I would love to have some of these terms explained in a clear manner.

[mushroom]

  On 7/18/2010 at 7:12 PM, Coolclimates said:

I've been looking over my intestinal biopsy reports and there are a few medical terms that I don't understand.

I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but the report is very technical and hard to understand.

For instance, it says I have "significant infiltration by lymphocytes." What does that mean? Also it says I have "crypt hyperplasia" and "intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration." What the on earth does that mean??

I would love to have some of these terms explained in a clear manner.

Not a complete answer I know, but from a quick google search:

hyper

[kareng]

Sounds like a horror movie doesn't it? Try these:

Spammers Use This To Link To Spam.com/?Celiac-Disease-Biopsy-Explained---Part-II&id=315579

Spammers Use This To Link To Spam.com/?Celiac-Disease-Biopsy-Explained:-Part-I-Villous-Atrophy&id=315570

I'm not sure why they think this is spam but I googled "celiac disease biopsy explained". They looked like good explanations. Maybe they want to sell you something, too.

[Skylark]

  On 7/18/2010 at 7:12 PM, Coolclimates said:

I've been looking over my intestinal biopsy reports and there are a few medical terms that I don't understand.

I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but the report is very technical and hard to understand.

For instance, it says I have "significant infiltration by lymphocytes." What does that mean? Also it says I have "crypt hyperplasia" and "intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration." What the on earth does that mean??

I would love to have some of these terms explained in a clear manner.

"Intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration" and "significant infiltration by lymphocytes" means you have immune system cells that have moved into your intestinal lining, where they wouldn't normally be. "Infiltration" sounds sort of like a spy movie term! Those are the cells that are responding to the autoimmune celiac disease signals and damaging your intestines. As you go gluten-free, your body will stop signaling to your immune system and those cells should leave the intestine.

"Crypt hyperplasia" is talking about the shape of your villi. The villi look sort of like fingers and the deep parts between the "fingers" are called crypts. In celiac disease, the fingers close off at the tops, flattening the mucosa, and the crypts between get deep and filled with cells.

Here's a picture of what the biopsy looks like. The very top left with the "fingers" is normal and all the rest on that page are celiac.

Open Original Shared Link

You have a biopsy that is very definitely celiac.

[poopedout]

  On 7/18/2010 at 7:12 PM, Coolclimates said:

I've been looking over my intestinal biopsy reports and there are a few medical terms that I don't understand.

I have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, but the report is very technical and hard to understand.

For instance, it says I have "significant infiltration by lymphocytes." What does that mean? Also it says I have "crypt hyperplasia" and "intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration." What the on earth does that mean??

I would love to have some of these terms explained in a clear manner.

I think it just means you have inflammation of the lining of the small bowel. The lymphocytes are the troops that fight inflammation.

[Coolclimates]

thanks, everyone!