INTESTINE Vol.6 No.6(6-3)

Theme Newly developed devices of colonoscope and their prospect in practice
Title Clinical usefulness of EOCT (endoscopic optical coherence tomography) in diagnosis of colorectal diseases
Publish Date 2002/11
Author Eisai Cho Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital
Author Kenjiro Yasuda Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital
Author Masatsugu Nakajima Department of Gastroenterology, Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital
[ Summary ] EUS has been accepted as an important diagnostic method for colorectal diseases. However, EUS cannot reveal precise pathological conditions in the superficial layer of the colorectum. In some cases of submucosal cancer, the diagnosis of invasion depth is quite difficult because of the limitations of EUS in the resolution of histological characteristics. OCT has been developed as a high resolution method and applied to clinical examinations, including those in the gastroenterological field. EOCT probes can be used through the biopsy channel without water. Using EOCT, the villi of the ileal mucosa can be clearly visualized. The mucosa and submucosa of the colorectal wall can be also observed clearly. However, the correlation between pathological and clinical diagnosis has not been determined. Further clinical trials and refinements in the apparatus are necessary for this modality. EOCT is expected to be a high resolution tool for the diagnosis of superficial wall layers in colorectal diseases.
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