Chromoendoscopy with indigocarmine improves the detection of adenomatous and nonadenomatous lesions in the colon.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Depressed early cancers and flat adenomas have a high potential for malignancy with possible infiltrating growth, despite the small size of the lesion. Japanese investigators have shown that early diagnosis and classification of these lesions is possible with the help of chromoendoscopy. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the usefulness of chromoendoscopy during routine colonoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS During routine colonoscopy, vital staining with indigocarmine solution (0.4 %, 1 - 10 ml) was performed on all visible lesions in 100 consecutive patients without visible inflammatory changes. If findings on macroscopic examination were unremarkable, …