Two extensive forms of intestinal metaplasia have been identified. Some have called the areas where the metaplasia is found on the lesser curvature, from the cardiac to the pylorus, "transition areas," whereas "difuse distribution" is defined as extensive replacement of the gastric mucosa by intestinal type mucosa.
Dos formas extensas de metaplasia intestinal han sido identificadas, unas llamadas de "zona de transición" en donde la metaplasia es encontrada sobre la curvatura menor, desde el cardias al píloro y de "distribución difusa" donde la mucosa gástrica está extensamente remplazada por mucosa de tipo intestinal.