Confocal endomicroscopy for in vivo detection of microvascular architecture in normal and malignant lesions of upper gastrointestinal tract.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Confocal laser endomicroscopy allows subsurface analysis of gastrointestinal mucosa during ongoing endoscopy. The present study assessed the feasibility of in vivo detecting superficial vascular architecture by confocal endomicroscopy in normal upper gastrointestinal mucosa and malignant lesions. METHODS: Early gastric cancer in eight patients, superficial esophageal carcinoma in six patients, and asymptomatic normal control in 10 patients were studied by confocal endomicroscopy. The characteristic of endomicroscopic microvascular architecture from normal and malignant mucosa was described and images were evaluated. RESULTS: Confocal endomicroscopy enabled clear visualiza..