A 28-year-old woman with a history of Crohn's disease presents with a 3-month history of increasingly frequent, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and significant weight loss. She also reports several painful oral aphthous ulcers. Her erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is elevated. Which of the following findings would be most characteristic of her underlying condition?
✓ Correct Answer: Option C
Crohn's disease is characterized by transmural inflammation, skip lesions, and granulomas. Non-caseating granulomas are a hallmark on biopsy. "Lead pipe" colon and continuous inflammation are typical for ulcerative colitis. Crypt abscesses can be seen in both, but are not as specific.