Microscopic colitis explained—and why it’s often mistaken for IBS

In 1976, a Swedish pathologist, C.G Lindström, published a paper describing a colonic anomaly. Through his microscope, he noted that part of the large intestinal wall of one of his patients was thickened. The patient, whose large intestine had been so thoroughly examined, suffered from chronic diarrhea. The pathologist suggested naming the new entity collagenous colitis, with “colitis” referring to inflammation of the large intestine.