Endoscopy of Acute Gastritis (2 of 6)

Injury to the gastric mucosa is associated with epithelial cell damage and regeneration. The term gastritis is used to denote inflammation associated with mucosal injury.

However, epithelial cell injury and regeneration are not always accompanied by mucosal inflammation. This distinction has caused considerable confusion since gastritis is often used to describe endoscopic or radiologic characteristics of the gastric mucosa rather than specific histologic findings. Epithelial cell damage and regeneration without associated inflammation is properly referred to as "gastropathy".