Evaluation of Colonic Diminutive Polyps With Electronic Filters

Diminutive polyps, measuring between 1 and 5 mm, represent the vast majority of colorectal polyps encountered during colonoscopy. Since the chance of harboring advanced adenoma or carcinoma in this kind of polyps is very low, a "remove and discard" technique has been proposed. The differentiation between adenoma/non adenoma polyps is based on the use of endoscopes equipped with high definition, magnification and optical filters.

Any diminutive polyps encountered during a colonoscopy will be examined with the use of electronic filters and magnification and assigned by the endoscopist to a adenoma/non adenoma category, resected and retrieved: a follow up surveillance period will be assigned on the basis of the endoscopic appearance of the polyps. Each polyp will then be sent separately to Pathology for the histologic evaluation, and a surveillance interval period will be determined accordingly.