Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama
Comparisons were made between SpyBiteTM and SpyBite MaxTM (Boston-Scientific) in terms of size of biopsy specimen, diagnostic performance, and procedure-related complications in peroral cholangioscopy (POCS)-guided biopsies. Suspected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cases in whom POCS-guided biopsies was performed at our institution from June 2018 to December 2021 were included. Their baseline characteristics, pathological results, clinical course, and final diagnoses were investigated retrospectively. The sample size of biopsy specimens was also measured using BZ-X710 (KEYENCE). Results: A total of 52 patients (40 males and 12 females) with median age of 75(56-89) were included. The location of bile duct stricture was distal in 36 patients and perihilar in 16 patients. The final diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma in 48 patients and benign in 4 patients. The biopsy was made using SpyBite in 44 patients and using SpyBite Max in 8 patients. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups: The mean size of biopsy specimen at the stricture (main tumor) was 0.746mm2 in the SpyBite group and 1.165mm2 in the SpyBite Max group (p=0.095). The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 55%/75%, 100%/NA, and 59%/75%, respectively. Procedure-related complications were observed in 3 patients with mild cholangitis and in 1 patient with mild pancreatitis. Conclusions: SpyBite Max might provide larger size of biopsy sample and better diagnostic sensitivity than SpyBite.