Endoscopy International Open (May 2016)

Usefulness of virtual chromoendoscopy in the evaluation of subtle small bowel ulcerative lesions by endoscopists with no experience in videocapsule

  • Mihai Rimbaş,
  • Denise Carmen Mihaela Zahiu,
  • Andrei Mihai Voiosu,
  • Theodor Alexandru Voiosu,
  • Alina Ana-Maria Zlate,
  • Roxana Dinu,
  • Domenico Galasso,
  • Leonardo Minelli Grazioli,
  • Mariachiara Campanale,
  • Federico Barbaro,
  • Bogdan Radu Mateescu,
  • Bogdan Busuioc,
  • Tiberiu Iordache,
  • Oana Dolofan,
  • Adelina Maria Popescu,
  • Vasile Daniel Balaban,
  • Mircea Mihai Raducan,
  • Cristiano Spada,
  • Cristian Răsvan Băicuş,
  • Guido Costamagna

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-106206
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 04, no. 05
pp. E508 – E514

Abstract

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Background and study aims: In videocapsule endoscopy examination (VCE), subtle variations in mucosal hue or pattern such as those seen in ulcerations can be difficult to detect, depending on the experience of the reader. Our aim was to test whether virtual chromoendoscopy (VC) techniques, designed to enhance the contrast between the lesion and the normal mucosa, could improve the characterization of ulcerative mucosal lesions. Patients and methods: Fifteen trainees or young gastroenterologists with no experience in VCE were randomly assigned to evaluate 250 true ulcerative and 100 false ulcerative, difficult-to-interpret small bowel lesions, initially as white light images (WLI) and then, in a second round, with the addition of one VC setting or again as WLI, labeling them as real lesions or artifacts. Results: On the overall image evaluation, an improvement in lesion characterization was observed by adding any chromoendoscopy setting, especially Blue mode and FICE 1, with increases in accuracy of 13 % [95 %CI 0.8, 25.3] and 7.1 % [95 %CI – 17.0, 31.3], respectively. However, when only false ulcerative images were considered, with the same presets (Blue mode and FICE 1), there was a loss in accuracy of 10.7 % [95 %CI – 10.9, 32.3] and 7.3 % [95 %CI – 1.3, 16.0], respectively. The interobserver agreement was poor for both readings. Conclusions: VC helps beginner VCE readers correctly categorize difficult-to-interpret small bowel mucosal ulcerative lesions. However, false lesions tend to be misinterpreted as true ulcerative with the same presets. Therefore care is advised in using VC especially under poor bowel preparation.