Sensitivity of Narrow Band Imaging Compared With White Light Imaging for the Detection of Endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of narrow band imaging (NBI) in conjunction with standard white light imaging to improve the detection and diagnosis of endometriosis during laparoscopic evaluation compared with white light imaging alone. Sensitivity of NBI in detecting endometriosis was assessed and compared with white light imaging. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. CLASSIFICATION OF STUDY DESIGN: LEVEL I: Evidence obtained from a properly designed, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: The trial was conducted in 2 medical centers. PATIENTS: One hundred sixty-seven women undergoing laparoscopic evaluation for suspected endometriosis and/or infertility were recruited. Of these, 150 were assessable to determine sensitivity of NBI compared with white light imaging for the detection of endometriotic lesions. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized in a 3:1 ratio to receive white light imaging followed by NBI or white light imaging only. The pelvis was systematically visualized with each assigned imaging modality; lesions were recorded under each visualization and then resected. All patients had white light imaging on the first visualization followed by either a second white light examination (control arm) or NBI examination (intervention arm). MEASUREMENTS: Pathology of resected lesions was the criterion standard for evaluating sensitivity and was conducted at each institution. The method of detection of the lesion (white light or NBI) was masked. Central pathology review was conducted for a randomly selected 10% sample of specimens and for those lesions visualized under only 1 imaging modality among patients assigned to the intervention arm. The sensitivity was assessed for each modality (white light and NBI) and compared using a McNemar's test. MAIN RESULTS: Among the group randomized to receive both white light and NBI, 4 patients had lesions detected with NBI but no lesions detected with white light. Among the 255 lesions confirmed as endometriosis by pathologic review, all were detected by NBI for a sensitivity of 100%; 79% were detected by white light imaging (p < .001). CONCLUSION: The addition of NBI to white light imaging increased the number of endometriotic lesions identified during laparoscopy and the diagnosis of endometriosis compared with the use of white light imaging alone.