Quantitative analysis of the gastric ulcer healing process using video endoscopic pseudocolor imaging systems

We developed an endoscopic pseudocolor imaging system in cooperation with Olympus Optical. This system was used for color processing of ulcer images observed over time using an electronic endoscope with measurement capability. The patients were receiving ranitidine (group R) or lansoprazole (group L) for ulcer treatment. By this method it is possible to differentiate between the types of healing tissue by their color. The total area of regions with a high degree of redness in the pseudocolor processed images was measured with a digitizer, and the hemoglobin-rich area (HA) in the regenerated epithelium was determined for the two groups. In the second week of drug administration, the HA was significantly larger in group L, at 170.70 +/- 64.70 mm2, than in group R, at 22.61 +/- 5.72 mm2 (p < 0.05). The hemoglobin rate was significantly higher in group L, at 0.90 +/- 0.02 (p < 0.01) at 2 weeks and 0.94 +/- 0.02 (p < 0.05) at 4 weeks, than in group R, at 0.72 +/- 0.06 and 0.86 +/- 0.05 at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively.