Linked color imaging improves visibility of reflux esophagitis

BMC Gastroenterology

Table 6 Objective evaluations using L, a, and b* color values (mean ± SD)

Reflux esophagitis	L, a b* values	WLI	LCI	BLI	P value
Reflux esophagitis	L, a b* values	WLI	LCI	BLI	WLI vs. LCI	WLI vs. BLI
Surrounding Esophageal mucosa
MCE	L*	40.3 ± 6.9	39.6 ± 9.1	50.8 ± 7.9	n.s	< 0.001
	a*	27.8 ± 4.1	23.5 ± 5.2	– 15.8 ± 3.2	< 0.001	< 0.001
	b*	18.4 ± 3.2	– 0.7 ± 4.4	14.3 ± 1.4	< 0.001	< 0.001
ERE	L*	45.5 ± 8.1	56.9 ± 11.9	49.5 ± 10.5	< 0.001	< 0.01
	a*	21.6 ± 4.6	10.0 ± 6.0	– 14.5 ± 4.3	< 0.001	< 0.001
	b*	13.4 ± 4.6	– 0.8 ± 3.0	13.7 ± 2.3	< 0.001	n.s
RE mucosa
MCE	L*	44.7 ± 5.7	52.9 ± 9.4	60.9 ± 12.2	< 0.001	< 0.001
	a*	20.0 ± 3.3	8.3 ± 3.9	– 17.5 ± 2.4	< 0.001	< 0.001
	b*	13.5 ± 3.5	– 0.2 ± 2.3	12.8 ± 2.4	< 0.001	n.s
ERE	L*	35.4 ± 6.6	40.0 ± 9.6	28.1 ± 8.3	< 0.001	< 0.001
	a*	28.8 ± 5.3	28.2 ± 9.6	– 5.9 ± 3.7	n.s	< 0.001
	b*	24.6 ± 6.1	6.9 ± 7.9	12.1 ± 2.4	< 0.001	< 0.001
Gastric mucosa
MCE	L*	32.6 ± 6.6	42.3 ± 5.6	30.1 ± 11.6	< 0.001	n.s
	a*	23.6 ± 4.2	22.1 ± 4.4	– 2.0 ± 3.0	n.s	< 0.001
	b*	22.9 ± 5.1	15.6 ± 4.5	12.9 ± 3.7	< 0.001	< 0.001
ERE	L*	32.5 ± 8.4	42.2 ± 6.1	19.3 ± 8.9	< 0.001	< 0.001
	a*	24.8 ± 6.0	21.3 ± 4.6	– 0.3 ± 3.5	< 0.001	< 0.001
	b*	23.3 ± 6.7	16.6 ± 9.4	10.9 ± 3.8	< 0.001	< 0.001

BLI blue LASER imaging, ERE erosive reflux esophagitis (LA grades A–D), LCI linked color imaging, MCE minimal change esophagitis (LA grade M), n.s. not significant, RE reflux esophagitis, SD standard deviation, WLI white light imaging

ISSN: 1471-230X