title: Endotics system vs colonoscopy for the detection of polyps.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the endotics system (ES), a set of new medical equipment for diagnostic colonoscopy, with video-colonoscopy in the detection of polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with clinical or familial risk of colonic polyps/carcinomas were eligible for this study. After a standard colonic cleaning, detection of polyps by the ES and by video-colonoscopy was performed in each patient on the same day. In each single patient, the assessment of the presence of polyps was performed by two independent endoscopists, who were randomly assigned to evaluate, in a blind fashion, the presence of polyps either by ES or by standard colonoscopy. The frequency of successful procedures (i.e. reaching to the cecum), the time for endoscopy, and the need for sedation were recorded. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the ES were also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 71 patients (40 men, mean age 51.9 ± 12.0 years) were enrolled. The cecum was reached in 81.6% of ES examinations and in 94.3% of colonoscopies (P = 0.03). The average time of endoscopy was 45.1 ± 18.5 and 23.7 ± 7.2 min for the ES and traditional colonoscopy, respectively (P < 0.0001). No patient required sedation during ES examination, compared with 19.7% of patients undergoing colonoscopy (P < 0.0001). The sensitivity and specificity of ES for detecting polyps were 93.3% (95% CI: 68-98) and 100% (95% CI: 76.8-100), respectively. PPV was 100% (95% CI: 76.8-100) and NPV was 97.7% (95% CI: 88-99.9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ES allows the visualization of the entire colonic mucosa in most patients, with good sensitivity/specificity for the detection of lesions and without requiring sedation.
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Pisa University Hospital, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy. e.tumino@ao-pisa.toscana.it
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tumino
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertini
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertoni
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity