Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 28, 2014; 20(16): 4718-4722
Published online Apr 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i16.4718
Improved biopsy accuracy in Barrett’s esophagus with a transparent cap
Bai-Li Chen, Xiang-Bin Xing, Jin-Hui Wang, Ting Feng, Li-Shou Xiong, Jin-Ping Wang, Yi Cui
Bai-Li Chen, Xiang-Bin Xing, Jin-Hui Wang, Ting Feng, Li-Shou Xiong, Jin-Ping Wang, Yi Cui, Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Chen BL and Xing XB contributed equally to this work, and designed the research, analyzed the data and drafted the paper; Chen BL, Xing XB, Wang JH, Wang JP and Cui Y performed endoscopy and data aquisition; Cui Y offered suggestions to maintain the integrity of the work; Feng T was responsible for submission of the paper; all authors approved the final version to be published.
Correspondence to: Dr. Yi Cui, Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China. gzcuiyi@163.com
Telephone: +86-20-87332916 Fax: +86-20-87332916
Received: October 24, 2013
Revised: January 10, 2014
Accepted: March 5, 2014
Published online: April 28, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopy with a transparent cap on biopsy positioning in Barrett’s esophagus (BE).

METHODS: One hundred and sixty-eight patients with suspected BE at endoscopy were enrolled in our study from November 2007 to December 2009 and divided into two groups: transparent cap group (n = 60) and control group (n = 108). Endoscopy with or without a transparent cap and subsequent biopsy of suspected lesions were performed by five experienced endoscopists in our hospital. In both groups, two biopsy specimens were taken from each patient, and the columnar epithelium or goblet cells in histological assessment were used as the diagnostic standard for BE.

RESULTS: In the transparent cap group, 41 cases were tongue type, while 17 and two cases were identified as island type and circumferential type, respectively. In the control group, 65 tongue-type cases were confirmed, with 38 island-type and five circumferential-type cases. Moreover, there was no significant difference with regard to the composition of endoscopic BE types in the two groups (P > 0.05). In the biopsy specimens, BE was detected in 50 cases in the transparent cap group (83.3%, 50/60), whereas the detection rate in the control group (69.4%, 75/108) was lower compared to that in the transparent cap group (P < 0.05). In addition, goblet cells were recognized in only eight cases (all with columnar epithelium) (8/60, 13.3%) in the transparent cap group, with 11 cases in the control group.

CONCLUSION: Transparent cap-fitted endoscopy can guide biopsy positioning in BE without other accompanying complications, thus increasing the detection rate of BE.

Keywords: Barrett’s esophagus, Endoscopy, Transparent cap, Biopsy

Core tip: A transparent cap applied to endoscopy can guide biopsy positioning in Barrett’s esophagus without other accompanying complications, thus increasing biopsy accuracy.