Chapter 34

Polyps of the colon and rectum

Daniel C. Chung

Daniel C. Chung

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

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John J. Garber

John J. Garber

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Translational Medicine at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA, USA

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First published: 25 February 2022

Summary

The colon is the last part of the intestinal tract, and functions primarily to extract water and solutes from stool. This chapter offers diverse images that provide an overview of polyps of the colon and rectum and aims to provide a synopsis through pictures and illustrations rather than through text. The detection and treatment of adenomatous polyps through routine screening and early detection are associated with reduced rates of colorectal cancer and mortality. The chapter includes typical examples of several commonly encountered nonadenomatous polyps, including inflammatory fibroid polyps, pseudopolyps, which are most often encountered in the setting of chronic inflammation, and hamartomatous polyps, which are disorganized tissue growths composed of normal tissue elements. It also includes examples of how artificial intelligence and machine learning are being incorporated into colonoscopy to aid with polyp detection .

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