UCEIS Explained: Another UC Endoscopic Score You Might See in Your Chart
Last Updated Jan 15, 2026
Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy reports for ulcerative colitis (UC) often include a short “score” that sums up what the lining of the colon looked like during the exam. One score that may show up in charts is the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity, shortened to UCEIS. This is an “endoscopic” score, meaning it is based on what is seen through the camera during the procedure, not just symptoms.
What UCEIS measures (and what the numbers mean)
In UCEIS ulcerative colitis scoring, the endoscopist grades three visible features of inflammation in the worst-affected area that can be seen during the exam. Those features are:
Vascular pattern: In a healthy colon, tiny blood vessels are easier to see. With inflammation, that pattern can look partly lost, or completely wiped out.
Bleeding: This ranges from none, to small streaks on the surface, to blood seen in the colon.
Erosions and ulcers: This ranges from none, to small surface breaks (erosions), to shallow ulcers, to deeper ulcers.
Each feature has its own small scale, and the points are added together for a total score from 0 to 8 (higher scores generally reflect more severe inflammation). In the published scoring system, vascular pattern is scored 0–2, and bleeding and erosions/ulcers are each scored 0–3. Some research papers also describe “bands” of severity, such as 0–1 remission, 2–4 mild, 5–6 moderate, and 7–8 severe, but exact cutoffs can vary by study and setting. [1]
A helpful way to interpret the UCEIS score meaning is to remember that it is focused on three concrete findings, and it does not try to measure everything about living with UC (like urgency, fatigue, or pain).
How UCEIS fits into UC care, and how it compares with Mayo
Endoscopic scores exist because procedures like colonoscopy are a key way clinicians see the level and extent of inflammation and, when needed, take small tissue samples (biopsies) for lab testing. In many health systems, colonoscopy examines the full colon, while sigmoidoscopy examines the rectum and lower colon. [2]
UCEIS is one of several ulcerative colitis endoscopic index options. Another common score is the Mayo endoscopic subscore (sometimes written as “MES” in research). Mayo is a 0–3 scale, where 0 is normal/healed mucosa and 3 includes features like spontaneous bleeding and large ulcers. [3] The practical difference is that UCEIS breaks findings into specific parts (vascular pattern, bleeding, erosions/ulcers), which can make it easier to track smaller visual changes over time than a single 0–3 rating.
Endoscopy scores are also used because modern inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care often aims beyond symptom control alone. Treat-to-target guidance (STRIDE-II) includes endoscopic healing as a long-term target for inflammatory bowel disease, reflecting the idea that calmer-looking tissue is linked with better outcomes in many studies. [4] In more severe situations, research in hospitalized acute severe colitis has also found that higher UCEIS scores are associated with higher likelihood of colectomy, and may perform better than Mayo in predicting that risk in that setting. [5]