Review article: in vivo imaging by endocytoscopy.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• Endocytoscopy (EC) offers 1400x magnification for in vivo cellular-level mucosal analysis.
• Unlike confocal laser endomicroscopy, EC visualizes only the superficial mucosal layer via contact light microscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the feasibility and diagnostic yield of endocytoscopy for in vivo disease diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted using terms like 'endocytoscopy' and 'magnification endoscopy'.
• Included were full manuscripts and case reports in English detailing diagnostic interventions in the gastrointestinal tract.

Main Results:

• Twenty-nine reports were identified, demonstrating EC's feasibility.
• EC showed high accuracy for esophageal squamous cell cancer (95% sensitivity, 84% specificity) and colon polyps (91% sensitivity, 100% specificity).
• Other applications include diagnosing Barrett's esophagus, H. pylori, celiac disease, and lung cancer, with no reported serious complications.

Conclusions:

• Endocytoscopy is a safe and effective endoscopic imaging technique for in vivo histology and guided biopsies.
• EC offers high diagnostic accuracy, potentially improving disease diagnosis and patient management.