Review article: in vivo imaging by endocytoscopy

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 1183–1193 Summary Background  Endocytoscopy (EC) enables in vivo microscopic imaging at 1400-fold magnification, thereby allowing the analysis of mucosal structures at the cellular level. In contrast to fluorescence imaging with confocal laser endomicroscopy which allows analysis of mucosal structures up to 250 μm in depth, EC is based on the principle of contact light microscopy and only allows visualisation of the very superficial mucosal layer. Aim  To systematically review the feasibility and diagnostic yield of EC for in vivo diagnosis of diseases. Methods  A systematic search of the literature on diagnostic interventions in the gastrointestinal tract u…