title: Detection of buried Barrett's glands after radiofrequency ablation with volumetric laser endomicroscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence and clinical relevance of buried Barrett's glands (BB) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in Barrett's esophagus (BE) are debated. Recent optical coherence tomography studies demonstrated a high prevalence of BBs. Direct histological correlation, however, has been lacking. Volumetric laser endomicroscopy (VLE) is a second-generation optical coherence tomography system capable of scanning a large surface of the esophageal wall layers with low-power microscopy resolution. The aim was to evaluate whether post-RFA subsquamous glandular structures (SGSs), detected with VLE, actually correspond to BBs by pursuing direct histological correlation with VLE images.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo VLE was performed to detect SGSs in patients with endoscopic regression of BE post-RFA. A second in vivo VLE scan was performed to confirm correct delineation of the SGSs. After endoscopic resection, the specimens were imaged ex vivo with VLE. Extensive histological sectioning of SGS areas was performed, and all histology slides were evaluated by an expert BE pathologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients underwent successful in vivo VLE (histological diagnosis before endoscopic treatment: early adenocarcinoma in 8 patients and high-grade dysplasia in 9). In 4 of 17 patients, no SGSs were identified during VLE, and a random resection was performed. In the remaining 13 patients (76%), VLE detected SGS areas, which were all confirmed on a second in vivo VLE scan and subsequently resected. Most SGSs identified by VLE corresponded to normal histological structures (eg, dilated glands and blood vessels). However, 1 area containing BBs was found on histology. No specific VLE features to distinguish between BBs and normal SGSs were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VLE is able to detect subsquamous esophageal structures. One area showed BBs beneath endoscopically normal-appearing neosquamous epithelium; however, most post-RFA SGSs identified by VLE correspond to normal histological structures. (
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NTR4056.).
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne-Fré
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Swager
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Boerwinkel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ton G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bas L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Weusten
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sybren L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacques J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Curvers
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069416:Intravital Microscopy; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome