 [ Symptoms ] i had a ct scan it showed i had colitis and a prominent reactive node 9mm on the right side what is a node  i had a ct scan it showed i had colitis and a prominent reactive node 9mm on the right side what is a node can this mean cancer what s the different from a node to a polyp [ Disease ] a node is a shortened form to mean lymph node there are lymph nodes in many places of your body like your neck under your arms groin and your mesenteric near the intestines lymph nodes react enlarge or become inflamed in response to inflammation andor infection in their immediate neighborhood colitis itself can cause reactive nodes and does not automatically mean cancer of course inflammation can be caused by cancer too a polyp is an inflammatory growth and would by inside the intestine in your case some polyps are cancer some are pre cancerous but most are benign these are questions that your doctor should be addressing with you since heshe is familiar with your case and can interpret your ct scan first hand