Colonic hemangioma, a diagnostic challenge in young adults with lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding

Colonic hemangiomas, first reported in 1839, are a rare and often misdiagnosed cause of lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding. We report a case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with the passage of bright red blood after defecation. Diagnostic studies, including plain abdominal radiography, barium enema study, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and colonoscopy, revealed characteristics specific to a diagnosis of colonic hemangiomas. Awareness of the clinical features of colonic hemangiomas may help avoid inappropriate surgical intervention in these patients.