Improving the Accuracy of Endoscopic Measurements of the Size of Gastrointestinal Lesions by a Guidewire Scale

TL;DR

A guidewire scale improves the accuracy of measuring gastrointestinal lesion sizes during endoscopy, leading to higher satisfaction and faster procedures.

Contribution

The study introduces a practical guidewire scale to enhance the accuracy of endoscopic lesion measurements.

Findings

Endoscopists reported good satisfaction levels (NRS ≥ 8) when using the guidewire scale.

Smaller lesions (≤ 1 cm) and shorter procedure times (≤ 30 s) were associated with higher satisfaction.

The guidewire scale improved the accuracy of estimating lesion sizes during endoscopy.

Abstract

Using an endoscope to accurately measure the size of a lesion is crucial for assessing the healing process and determining the treatment strategies for the stage of the cancer. Visual estimation of the lesion size is commonly used, but this is often inaccurate. To address this issue, a guidewire scale was developed to measure lesion size and improve accuracy at a practical level.

Four endoscopists estimated the size of artificial lesions in the gastric model by visual comparison with the guidewire measurements. The endoscopists used a guidewire scale to determine the size of the lesion and rated their satisfaction after the procedure using a numeral rating scale (NRS).

Fifty‐two patients were recruited and assessed for the size of their lesions using a guidewire scale. Overall, the endoscopists reported good satisfaction levels (NRS ≥ 8), with satisfaction significantly higher in the dyspepsia group (p = 0.03). The mean lesion size was 10.7 ± 8.9 mm, with smaller lesions (≤ 1 cm) resulting in higher satisfaction levels. On average, it took 39.4 ± 13.6 s to measure the lesion, with a procedure time of ≤ 30 s resulting in very high satisfaction levels.

The accuracy of endoscopic measurements was improved using the guidewire scale, allowing clinical studies to safely and easily estimate lesion sizes.

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