Evolving techniques in colonoscopy - Introduction

A Special Author Introduction
Current opinion in Lipidology
ISSN: 0267-1379 • Frequency: 6/year • Subscribe Now • Journal Website


By Douglas K. Rex

The past two decades have seen the emergence of colonoscopy as the cornerstone of colorectal cancer prevention. The spectrum of pre-cancerous lesions in the colon is complex with regard to both morphology and histology, and a substantial percentage are endoscopically subtle. Extreme operator dependence has been found for detection of both adenomas and serrated lesions. Poor detectors' patients have been shown to be at much higher risk of developing cancer after colonoscopy.

Against this backdrop, we review technical developments in colonoscopy. Much work has been done, and the impact on detection of pre-cancerous lesions has been minimal. However, significant gains have been made in insertion methods and in recognition of adenomatous vs. hyperplastic histology in real time.

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