Detection of intestinal metaplasia in distal esophagus and esophagogastric junction by enhanced-magnification endoscopy.

Background: Standard videoendoscopy identifies columnar-lined esophagus but cannot distinguish intestinal metaplasia from other types of epithelium. Enhanced-magnification endoscopy identifies different mucosal pit patterns. A preliminary study suggested that a type 3 pattern is associated with the presence of intestinal metaplasia. This study assesses the value of enhanced-magnification endoscopy for the detection of intestinal metaplasia in the distal esophagus and esophagogastric junction in patients undergoing diagnostic EGD.

Methods: Patients undergoing diagnostic endoscopy for upper-GI symptoms underwent enhanced-magnification endoscopy after instillation of 1.5% acetic acid. The enhanced-magnification endoscopy mucosal pattern was classified into 3 types: 1, normal pits; 2, slit-reticular pattern; and 3, gyrus-villous pattern. Preliminary studies indicated that the type 3 pattern was related to intestinal metaplasia. One to 6 biopsies were targeted to areas having a type 3 pattern in columnar-appearing mucosa in the distal esophagus or esophagogastric junction. In the absence of type 3 pattern, one to 8 biopsies were targeted to areas with a type 2 pattern in columnar-appearing mucosa in the distal esophagus or esophagogastric junction.

Results: The overall frequency of intestinal metaplasia in the esophagus and esophagogastric junction was 38.8% (26/67 patients). There was a good correlation between the type 3 pattern and intestinal metaplasia in targeted biopsy specimens (sensitivity 88.5%, specificity 90.2%, positive predictive value 85.2%, negative predictive value 92.5%, overall accuracy 90.0%).

Conclusions: Enhanced-magnification endoscopy is useful for detection of intestinal metaplasia in distal esophagus and esophagogastric junction.