Optical biopsy of sessile serrated adenomas: do these lesions resemble hyperplastic polyps under narrow-band imaging?

BackgroundSerrated colorectal lesions include hyperplastic polyps (HPs) and sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs). Optical biopsy could misclassify SSAs as unimportant if they resemble HPs.ObjectiveTo explore the narrow-band imaging (NBI) features of SSAs. We hypothesized that SSAs resemble HPs under NBI.DesignRetrospective analysis of data from our prospective study of NBI in routine practice.SettingSingle specialty group.PatientsPatients undergoing colonoscopy.InterventionColonoscopy.Main Outcome MeasurementsPolyp histology prediction by community gastroenterologists. Features of SSAs versus HPs and adenomas by using the Narrow-Band Imaging International Colorectal Endoscopic (NICE) Classification.ResultsAmong 2388 lesions, 141 were diagnosed on pathology as SSAs, 465 as HPs, and 1546 as adenomas. Each individual NICE feature of HPs was found in 38% to 42% of SSAs, 66% to 67% of HPs, and 15% to 20% of adenomas (P < .001 for each). Each individual NICE feature of adenomas was found in 57% to 62% of SSAs, 33% to 34% of HPs, and 80% to 84% of adenomas (P < .001 for each). Compared with HPs, SSAs were less likely (odds ratio [OR] 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.79) and adenomas were even less likely (OR 0.62; 95% CI, 0.59-0.64) to have all 3 NICE features of HPs. SSAs >5 mm were more likely than smaller SSAs to have all 3 NICE features of adenomas. SSA location did not predict NBI features. Analyses restricted to high-confidence lesions showed similar results.LimitationsThe endoscopists were not NBI experts.ConclusionCommunity gastroenterologists observed a profile of NICE features among SSAs that was intermediate to the profiles observed for HPs and adenomas. These results require confirmation by NBI experts.