New application of endocytoscope for histopathological diagnosis of colorectal lesions

The endocytoscope with ultra-high magnification (x 520) allows us to observe the cellular structure of the colon epithelium during colonoscopy, known as virtual histopathology. We hypothesized that the endocytoscope could directly observe colorectal histopathological specimens and store them as endocyto-pathological images by the endoscopists without a microscope, potentially saving the burden on histopathologists.

To assess the feasibility of endocyto-pathological images taken by an endoscopist as adequate materials for histopathological diagnosis.

Three gastrointestinal pathologists were invited and asked to diagnose 40 cases of endocyto-pathological images of colorectal specimens. Each case contained seven endocyto-pathological images taken by an endoscopist, consisting of one loupe image, three low-magnification images, and three ultra-high magnification images. The participants chose hyperplastic polyp or low-grade adenoma for 20 cases of endocyto-pathological images (10 hyperplastic polyps, and 10 Low-grade adenomas in conventional histopathology) in study 1 and high-grade adenoma/ shallow invasive cancer or deep invasive cancer for 20 cases [10 tumor in situ/T1a and 10 T1b] in study 2. We investigated the agreement between the histopathological diagnosis using the endocyto-pathological images and conventional histopathological diagnosis.

Agreement between the endocyto-pathological and conventional histopathological diagnosis by the three gastrointestinal pathologists was 100% (95%CI: 94.0%-100%) in studies 1 and 2. The interobserver agreement among the three gastrointestinal pathologists was 100%, and the κ coefficient was 1.00 in both studies.

Endocyto-pathological images were adequate and reliable materials for histopathological diagnosis.