Magnifying chromoendoscopy of the esophagus: in-vivo pathological diagnosis using an endocytoscopy system.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to observe the endoscopic characteristics of cells on the surface layer of superficial esophageal carcinomas in vivo using an endocytoscopy system and to compare the findings with those in normal squamous epithelium.


METHODS
Superficial esophageal cancers in 12 patients were examined with methylene blue staining using an endocytoscopy system.


RESULTS
The endocytoscopy system and methylene blue staining made it possible to observe cells on the surface of the squamous epithelium in normal esophageal mucosa. Normal cells were arranged homogeneously, and the nucleus cytoplasm ratio was uniform and low. In esophageal cancers, the density of cells was found to be much greater than that in normal squamous epithelium. The cell distribution was also irregular and the cells were extremely heterogeneous, with the nuclei having different staining, size, and shape characteristics. The nucleus cytoplasm ratio was also very irregular.


CONCLUSIONS
Examining esophageal tissue using the endocytoscopy system described here makes it possible to observe detailed histological alterations in esophageal lesions in vivo.
Kumagai
Y
Y
Dept. of Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, 18-22 Honkomagome, 3-Chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677, Japan. kuma7@ohta-hp.or.jp
Monma
K
K
Kawada
K
K
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D020701:Esophagoscopes; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008751:Methylene Blue; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D004396:Coloring Agents; D008751:Methylene Blue