Study on narrow band imaging versus conventional colonoscopy for polyps detection in patients with positive fecal occult blood test undergoing colonoscopy screening

Background and study aims
The detection and removal of adenomatous polyps (small non-cancerous growths that develop in the large bowel) may prevent colorectal cancer and save lives. Colonoscopy is the standard procedure for the detection and removal of polyps. However, colonoscopy still misses between 5% and 24% of polyps, which can result in the development of colorectal cancer. It is also unable to distinguish different types of polyp, leading to the removal of all polyps found, thus increasing the costs and risks. In order to overcome these limitations, there have been many attempts to improve the diagnostic accuracy of colonoscopy. The aim of this study is to find out whether the use of a new endoscopy technology called narrow band imaging (NBI) increases the detection rate of advanced adenomas compared with High Definition White Light colonoscopy (HD-WL).
Who can participate?
Patients aged 55-64 undergoing colonoscopy
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to undergo colonoscopy with either HD-WL or NBI. The colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and advanced to the cecum (the beginning of the large intestine). The endoscopist carefully explores the whole colon, and the procedure is timed by the endoscopist using a stopwatch. Polyps detected are documented for their size, location and shape, and removed and sent in separate jars for diagnosis by a histopathologist. The number of adenomas and advanced adenomas are counted in both groups.