Endocytoscopy: Novel endoscopic imaging technology for in-situ observation of bladder cancer cells

Background and Purpose: Recent advances in endoscopy have enabled microscopic imaging of live bladder-cancer cells in situ. The newly developed Endocystoscopy system (Olympus Medical Systems Co., Tokyo, Japan) is a flexible digital endoscope that has more than a 450-fold magnifying power on a video monitor. Patients and Methods: This supermagnifying endoscope was used to evaluate bladder carcinoma in five patients through the working channel of a rigid cystoscope. Results: The cell structure and nuclear morphology were imaged adequately compared with conventional hematoxylin and eosin staining of a biopsy specimen. The tumors were graded correctly in four of five cases. Conclusion: This novel technology appears to be useful for histologic diagnosis during endoscopic examinations, potentially allowing us to avoid a conventional biopsy.