Physicians who use more sensitive high-definition colonoscopy equipment detect 20% more precancerous polyps than those using standard definition equipment, according to study results presented by Mayo Clinic researchers last month at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego, Calif.
As the Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville, Fla., facility transitioned from standard- to high-definition colonoscopy equipment in 2006 and 2007, researchers conducted a randomized study comparing how many polyps physicians detected using the 2 technologies on 2,011 patients. Polyps were found in nearly 29% of the HD colonoscopy patients, compared to 23% for standard colonoscopy. "That is an increase of 20%," said Michael Wallace, MD, a professor of medicine at the College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, in a press release. "While that may seem small, in light of the 14 million colonoscopies that are performed each year, even small differences add up to important improvements."
Dr. Wallace and colleagues also reported that with both types of equipment, physicians improved over time in detecting precancerous polyps. "It will not be that hard to move to the newer, and better, technology," said Dr. Wallace.
Kent Steinriede
