Comparison of infrared electronic endoscopy using reflection and transmission.

Twelve subjects were examined using both the reflecting type of infrared electronic endoscopy and the transmission method to visualize submucosal gastric architecture. Under transmission infrared illumination, submucosal structures were more clearly observed than by using the reflecting type. Using the transmission method, only the anterior wall of the antrum could be fully visualized, although the anterior wall of the lower corpus was recognized in only 33% of the cases. Furthermore, the upper or middle corpus and the entire posterior wall were not properly recognized using transmission illumination. The entire gastric circumference was visualized with the reflecting type illumination. Both types of infrared illumination of the gastric wall can be used complementarily for visualizing submucosal gastric architecture.