The efficacy of autofluorescence imaging in the diagnosis of colorectal diseases

Image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) has been developed and is applied in the clinical setting throughout the world. Most reports regarding IEE have evaluated the efficacy of narrow-band imaging (NBI) in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders. Although autofluorescence imaging (AFI) is a form of IEE, its usefulness remains unclear. The present review focused on the efficacy of AFI in the diagnosis of colorectal disease, particularly neoplasia and ulcerative colitis (UC). AFI-based diagnoses are made via the subjective judgment of the color on the monitor. The efficacy of AFI in detection and differentiation in patients with colorectal neoplastic lesions remains controversial, which may be dependent on the study design and the diagnostic procedures. Although the number of the reports related to UC is very small, most suggest that AFI is effective in UC patients. AFI is distinct from other modalities in that it can quantitatively assess the lesion based on the fluorescence intensity without any morphological assessments. AFI could be useful for patients with colorectal disease.