Narrow-band imaging cystoscopy improves detection of bladder tumor recurrence

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Narrow-band imaging (NBI) cystoscopy can enhance the detection of bladder tumor recurrences in patients undergoing routine surveillance with white-light imaging (WLI) cystoscopy, new research shows.

As reported in the November issue of BJU International, Dr. Harry W. Herr and Dr. S. Machele Donat, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, used WLI cystoscopy followed by NBI cystoscopy to look for recurrent bladder tumors in 427 patients.

Tumors uncovered by either procedure were imaged, mapped, biopsied and then treated with transurethral resection or fulguration, the report indicates.

Overall, 103 patients (24%) were found to have a tumor recurrence, the authors report. In 90 of these patients, the tumors were seen with both WLI and NBI cystoscopy, but in 13 patients, only NBI cystoscopy detected the recurrence.

NBI cystoscopy found extrapapillary tumors or more extensive in situ carcinoma in 58 patients (56%) with recurrences, the researchers note.

On average, 3.4 recurrent tumors were detected with NBI cystoscopy, which is significantly higher than the 2.3 detected with WLI cystoscopy.

"NBI flexible cystoscopy subjectively and objectively improved the detection of recurrent flat and papillary superficial bladder tumors," the authors conclude.

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