n. a condition in which the bowel lining (mucosa) is covered by elevated or protuberant plaques (pseudopolyps) that are not true *polyps but abnormal growths of inflamed mucosa. It is usually found in patients with longstanding *ulcerative colitis during endoscopy or barium enema examination.
n. a condition in which numerous *polyps form in an organ or tissue. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a hereditary disease (caused by a defective dominant gene) in which multiple *adenomas develop in the intestine, usually the large bowel or rectum, at an early age. As these polyps almost invariably become malignant, patients are usually advised to undergo total removal of the affected bowel. See also Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Compare hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer; pseudopolyposis.... polyposis