High sensitivity of quick view capsule endoscopy for detection of small bowel Crohn's disease

Abstract

Background and aim: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has a high sensitivity for diagnosing small bowel Crohn's disease, but video analysis is time-consuming. The quick view (qv) function is an effective tool to reduce time consumption. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of missed small bowel ulcerations with qv-CE compared with standard view and the diagnostic accuracy of qv-CE in suspected Crohn's disease.

Methods: This study consisted of two parts: (i) 12 small bowel segments with Crohn's disease of varying severity were selected for a detailed analysis of the number and type of lesions visualized with CE and qv-CE, and (ii) a blinded study of the diagnostic accuracy of qv-CE including 40 patients with suspected Crohn's disease. Ileocolonoscopy and CE served as gold standard.

Results: Part 1: CE visualized 171 ulcerations compared with 102 detected with qv-CE (miss rate 40%, P = 0.02). Part 2: qv-CE identified 15 of 16 patients with small bowel Crohn's disease corresponding to a 94% sensitivity, and overall, 39 out of 40 patients were classified correct (diagnostic accuracy 98%). Qv-CE was false negative in one patient because of a leap of 3 min and 20 s in the terminal ileum. Reading times varied from 5 to 18 min (median 10).

Conclusion: Despite a significant number of missed lesions, qv-CE is a safe and time-reducing method for diagnosing small bowel Crohn's disease. To avoid false negative cases, we recommend viewing the terminal ileum in standard view.

Keywords: Crohn's disease; capsule endoscopy; quick view; sensitivity and specificity; small intestine.