INTRODUCTION: Nodular gastritis is a frequent endoscopic finding at our hospital, of 3600 upper endoscopies done from 1994 to 1997, 261 presented with this endoscopic characteristic. The aim of this study is to find whether there is any particular histopathological pattern in nodular gastritis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 112 gastric biopsies of patients with an endoscopic diagnosis of nodular gastritis were compared to a control group of 111 gastric biopsies of patients with the same age and sex but without this endoscopic finding of nodular gastritis. Patients with peptic ulcer, duodenitis and neoplasia were excluded. Biopsies were blindly reviewed by one experienced pathologist. The following parameters were considered: presence and type of gastritis, grade of mucosal inflammation, presence and percentage of complete or incomplete metaplasia, presence and grade of inflammatory activity, presence and number of lymphoid follicles (primary and secondary), presence and number of eosinophils in the mucosa, presence of H. pylori and presence of epithelial edema. RESULTS: Patients with nodular gastritis were constituted by 62 women and 50 men, the control group by 62 women and 49 men. The average age for the nodular gastritis group was 37 + 17 years (16-82 years) and the control group 38+17 years ( 16-82 years). Both groups had the same number of lymphoid follicles (primary and secondary). Statistical differences were found in relation to : grade of mucosal inflammation (p: 0.042), presence of superficial eosinophils on the surface (p: 0.019) and presence of Helicobacter pylori (p: 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Nodular gastritis is a chronic gastritis with superficial eosinophilic infiltration, moderate inflammation and an important inflammatory activity associated with the presence of H. pylori. There is no relation with the presence and number of lymphoid follicles. The nodular pattern seen on endoscopy could be related to inflammation mediated by the eosinophil and probably induced by H.pylori or other factors as infectious agents, environment, nutritional, or other individual factors not considered in this study.