Prospective comparative evaluation of video US endoscope.
BACKGROUND
Limitations in the technical capabilities of the fiberoptic echoendoscope often necessitate concurrent diagnostic endoscopy at the time of an endosonographic (EUS) examination. Our aim was to determine whether a new video echoendoscope would allow the performance of EUS without diagnostic endoscopy.


METHODS
EUS examinations on all patients at two centers were initiated with a fiberoptic echoendoscope (period of 5 weeks) or a video echoendoscope (period of 6 weeks). Note was made of need for concurrent diagnostic endoscopy. The endosonographer also rated the mechanical, optical, and sonographic performance of the video instrument using a 9-point comparative scale (1 = much worse, 5 = equal to, and 9 = much better than fiberoptic echoendoscope).


RESULTS
A total of 103 patients including 40 and 28 with mural lesions and 22 and 15 with retroperitoneal lesions were examined with the fiberoptic and video echoendoscopes, respectively. Mean values for parameters rating the video echoendoscope's mechanical performance ranged between 5.0 and 5.9, optical performance ranged between 6.6 and 7.5, and sonographic performance ranged between 4.6 and 4.9. Concurrent diagnostic endoscopy was required less frequently when patients with mural lesions (18% vs. 70%, p < 0.005) or patients with retroperitoneal lesions (0% vs. 14%, p = no significance) were examined with the video echoendoscope compared with the fiberoptic echoendoscope.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderately improved optics and slightly better mechanical characteristics of the new video echoendoscope allow the performance of EUS without concurrent diagnostic endoscopy in the majority of patients.
Chak
A
A
Divisions of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1736, USA.
Isenberg
G
G
Mallery
S
S
Van Dam
J
J
Cooper
G S
GS
Sivak
M V
MV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019160:Endosonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D014741:Video Recording