Correlation between Gastric Mucosal Morphologic Patterns and Histopathological Severity of Helicobacter pylori Associated Gastritis Using Conventional Narrow Band Imaging Gastroscopy

BACKGROUND AND AIM Identifying specific gastric mucosal morphologic patterns useful for detecting Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis and correlation with histopathological severity. METHODS The endoscopists classified the C-NBI gastroscopic findings into 5 gastric mucosal morphologic patterns as follows: type 1: regular arrangement of collecting venules, type 2: cone-shaped gastric pits, type 3: rod-shaped gastric pits with prominent sulci, type 4: ground glass-like morphology, and type 5: dark brown patches with bluish margin and irregular border. Biopsies of all of the cases were then evaluated by 5 pathologists for definitive Helicobacter pylori diagnosis. RESULT Type 1 and type 2 patterns were statistically significant in predicting Helicobacter pylori negative status (58/60, P < 0.01). Type 3, type 4, and type 5 patterns were statistically significant in predicting Helicobacter pylori positive status (132/140, P < 0.01). Furthermore, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of type 3, 4, or 5 morphologies for predicting Helicobacter pylori positive were 94.28%, 96.66%, 98.50%, and 87.87%, respectively, correlated well with inflammation grading according to the Sydney classification (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Our study suggests that gastric mucosal morphologic patterns in the Helicobacter pylori infected gastric mucosa can be reliably identified using C-NBI gastroscopy with good correlation with inflammation grading.