Chromocolonoscopy

Chromocolonoscopy is the process of endoscopically examining the colon mucosa after it has been stained with dye. The goal is to allow the endoscopist to identify subtle features in the mucosa, such as morphologically flat polyps or crypt patterns. Studies examining the efficacy of chromocolonoscopy to identify adenomas missed by conventional colonoscopy have shown that although chromocolonoscopy increases polyp yield, most additional lesions are small in size. Staining can also help in differentiating neoplastic from non-neoplastic polyps. Perhaps the most useful aspect of chromocolonoscopy is increasing the yield for dysplasia in patients undergoing colonoscopy for inflammatory bowel disease surveillance.