title: [Value of immersion technique in the diagnosis of diseases of duodenal mucosa].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We used the immersion technique for the evaluation of duodenal mucosa for several years and we observed discordant results in relation to the literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the immersion technique in the diagnosis of duodenal mucosa diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an upper endoscopy, immersion technique, chromoendoscopy and biopsies of the second portion of the duodenum to the patients who met the inclusion criteria. It was reported the presence of villi and the partial or total absence of them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The standard endoscopy showed absence of villi in 16 patients and normal mucosa in 384. The comparison between these results and those of the biopsies showed that biopsies were normal in 3 patients with presumed absence of villi and had a partial atrophy of villi in 1 patient with normal endoscopy. With the immersion technique and the chromoendoscopy we observed absence of villi in 13 patients and normal mucosa in 386. When we compared these results with those of the biopsies, we observed that 1 normal patient had a partial atrophy of villi. These results indicate that standard endoscopy has a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 99%, a positive predictive value of 81% and a negative predictive value of 99%. The immersion technique and chromoendoscopy have a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience the immersion technique does not improve the visualization of the villi compared with the standard endoscopy and the chromoendoscopy.
authors: Unidad de Endoscopía Digestiva, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. hbolzan@infovia.com.ar
authors: Héctor Emilio
authors: HE
authors: Bolzán
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Miravalle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004384:Duodenoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004386:Duodenum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity