title: Reliability of narrow-band imaging (NBI) hysteroscopy: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of narrow-band imaging (NBI) technology for improving the diagnostic reliability of hysteroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective controlled clinical study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred ninety-five outpatient women undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy were enrolled.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent fluid minihysteroscopy with white light (WL) and NBI exploration with endometrial eye-directed biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hysteroscopic findings with WL and NBI were compared with histology, which was considered the gold standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, the number of correct diagnoses with NBI was significantly higher than with WL. For differentiating normal from abnormal endometrial histopathology, the use of NBI showed a significantly higher specificity (0.93 vs. 0.78) and negative predictive value (0.92 vs. 0.81); NBI hysteroscopy significantly improved the sensitivity for the diagnosis of proliferative endometrium (0.93 vs. 0.78), chronic endometritis (0.88 vs. 0.70), low-risk hyperplasia (0.88 vs. 0.70), and high-risk hyperplasia (0.60 vs. 0.40).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of NBI improved the reliability of diagnostic hysteroscopy. The high specificity and the low number of false negatives may reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies or of those performed in wrong areas. Moreover, compared with WL observation, NBI hysteroscopy showed significantly higher sensitivity for the detection of chronic endometritis and low-risk and high-risk hyperplasia.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. Cicinelli@gynecology1.uniba.it
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cicinelli
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tinelli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colafiglio
authors.forename: Addolorata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mastrolia
authors.forename: Achiropita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lepera
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clevin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery