Efficacy of video capsule endoscopy with flexible spectral imaging color enhancement at setting 3 for differential diagnosis of red spots in the small bowel.

BACKGROUND

Red spots on the small bowel mucosa are observed in patients with angioectasia and enteritis. The present study investigated the effectiveness of capsule endoscopy (CE)-flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE) as a method for differential diagnosis of the two conditions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The subjects were 30 patients who underwent CE and double-balloon endoscopy at Dokkyo Medical University Hospital between February 2007 and January 2013. Of these 30 patients, those diagnosed with angioectasia were assigned to Group A (n = 13) and those diagnosed with enteritis were assigned to Group E (n = 17).

RESULTS

Using FICE at setting 3 and comparing the color intensity of the red spots on a four-step scale (0-3), no statistically significant (P = 0.712) difference was found between the twogroups (Group A: 2.69 ± 0.48, Group E: 2.76 ± 0.56). Subjects were considered to show a positive blue sign when areas of blue were observed against the yellow-green background and surrounding the red spots. A comparison of the ratio of positive blue sign for both groups (Group A: 15.4% ± 37.6%, Group E: 94.1% ± 24.2%) showed a statistically significant increase in the ratio in Group E (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study suggest that blue sign may be effective in the differential diagnosis of angioectasia and enteritis in patients with red spots.