Magnifying narrowband imaging is more accurate than conventional white-light imaging in diagnosis of gastric mucosal cancer

Gastroenterology. 2011 Dec;141(6):2017-2025.e3. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2011.08.007. Epub 2011 Aug 19.

Abstract

Background & aims: It is difficult to accurately diagnose patients with depressed gastric mucosal cancer based on conventional white-light imaging (C-WLI) endoscopy. We compared the real-time diagnostic yield of C-WLI for small, depressed gastric mucosal cancers with that of magnifying narrow-band imaging (M-NBI).

Methods: We performed a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial of patients with undiagnosed depressed lesions ≤10 mm in diameter identified by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Patients were randomly assigned to groups that were analyzed by C-WLI (n = 176) or M-NBI (n = 177) immediately after detection; the C-WLI group received M-NBI after C-WLI. We compared the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity between C-WLI and M-NBI and assessed the diagnostic yield of M-NBI conducted in conjunction with C-WLI.

Results: Overall, 40 gastric cancers (20 in each group) were identified. The median diagnostic values for M-NBI and C-WLI were as follows: accuracy, 90.4% and 64.8%; sensitivity, 60.0% and 40.0%; and specificity, 94.3% and 67.9%, respectively. The accuracy and specificity of M-NBI were greater than those of C-WLI (P < .001); the difference in sensitivity was not significant (P = .34). The combination of M-NBI with C-WLI significantly enhanced performance compared with C-WLI alone; accuracy increased from (median) 64.8% to 96.6% (P < .001), sensitivity increased from 40.0% to 95.0% (P < .001), and specificity increased from 67.9% to 96.8% (P < .001).

Conclusions: M-NBI, in conjunction with C-WLI, identifies small, depressed gastric mucosal cancers with 96.6% accuracy, 95.0% sensitivity, and 96.8% specificity. These values are better than for C-WLI or M-NBI alone.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods*
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal*
  • Female
  • Gastric Mucosa / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Stomach Neoplasms / diagnosis*