Guidance

6 Recommendations for further research

6 Recommendations for further research

6.1 Audit is recommended to monitor whether endoscopists using virtual chromoendoscopy (Narrow Band Imaging [NBI], flexible spectral imaging colour enhancement [FICE] and i‑scan) are correctly assessing polyps as adenomatous and hyperplastic during colonoscopy. Measures may include:

  • the diagnostic accuracy of polyp characterisation achieved and

  • agreement with the surveillance interval for colonoscopy set by histopathology.

6.2 Further research is recommended on patient acceptability of using virtual chromoendoscopy for real-time assessment of diminutive polyps compared with assessment using histopathology.

6.3 Data collection and analysis are recommended to monitor the effect on endoscopy and histopathology services of using virtual chromoendoscopy instead of histopathology to assess diminutive polyps. Measures may include:

  • the length of time to do colonoscopies

  • the number of polyps sent for histopathology analysis

  • cost savings or workload reductions associated with reductions in histopathology.