Table 1 Distinguishing features between intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn’s disease [3–5]

Clinical presentations

 Age

Any age

20–50

 Obstructive symptoms

++

+

 Stricture pattern

Short, single

Long, multiple (skip lesions)

 Mucosal ulceration

Circumferential

Longitudinal

 Fistula

Few

35–50%

 Perianal disease

Few

>1/3

 Ascites

+

Rare

Histological features

 Caseous necrosis

22–40%

0%

 Granulomatous inflammation

78–100%

28–61%

 Confluent granuloma

42–60%

0–3%

≧5 granulomas/biopsy

40–45%

0–24%

 Large granulomas^a

51–90%

0–5%

 Submucosal granulomas

39–45%

5–12%

 Ulcers lined by bands of epithelioid histiocytes

45–61%

0–8%

 Disproportionate submucosal inflammation

65–67%

5–10%