IN-SITU MEASUREMENT OF COLORECTAL POLYPS TO COMPARE VIDEO AND FIBEROPTIC ENDOSCOPES

The present study was performed to test the reliability of in situ mea surements of colorectal polyps when comparing videoendoscopes with fib eroptic endoscopes. In 25 small rectosigmoid polyps 3-12 mm) removed e ndoscopically, in situ diameters were measured before polypectomy usin g both video- and fiberoptic endoscopes. Polaroid and videoprint pictu res were taken for computerised analysis of the area of the polyps on the pictures. The results showed a good correlation between the polyp diameter measured with the videoendoscope and fiberoptic endoscope (r = 0.97), with no significant difference by parametric testing. The dia meter and weight of the removed polyp also correlated well with the di ameter measured in situ using videoendoscopes (r = 0.92 and 0.77, resp ectively) or fiberoptic endoscopes (r = 0.90 and 0.81, respectively). Furthermore, the weight of the removed polyp correlated reasonably wel l to the computerised area measurement, the correlation coefficient be ing r = 0.90 for fiberoptic endoscopes and r = 0.75 for videoendoscope s. We conclude that in situ polyp diameter measurements using videoend scopes and riberoptic endoscopes are similarly reliable and sensitive, and both instruments can be used interchangeably in follow-up studies of polyp growth.