Research published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology compared full-spectrum endoscopy to standard-forward viewing colonoscopy.
Researchers conducted a prospective, randomized study of 249 patients with positive fecal occult blood tests. Patients either received a standard forward-viewing colonoscopy or a full-spectrum colonoscopy with a full-spectrum endoscope.
What they found:
1. Full-spectrum endoscopes did not detect a significantly higher amount of adenomas than standard forward-viewing colonoscopy.
2. Full-spectrum endoscopes also had a significantly longer insertion time.
3. Researchers also found no significant difference in polyp/adenoma detection rates by lesion size or colonic section.
Researchers concluded, "[Full-spectrum endoscopes] did not detect significantly more colorectal neoplasia than forward viewing colonoscopy in a medium-risk colorectal cancer screening population with positive fecal occult blood test."