WATS-3D Enhances Barrett’s Esophagus Detection in GERD Patients

In GERD patients undergoing screening endoscopy for Barrett’s esophagus (BE), forceps biopsies (FB) often miss intestinal metaplasia (IM), delaying diagnosis. A large prospective study of nearly 24,000 patients showed that adding wide-area transepithelial sampling with 3D analysis (WATS-3D) significantly improved diagnostic yield. WATS-3D identified BE in an additional 19.3% of patients and nearly doubled dysplasia detection. It also led to care plan changes in over 90% of cases with positive WATS-3D but negative FB, highlighting its value as an adjunctive tool in GERD-related BE screening.

References: https://journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/9900/adjunctive_use_of_wide_area_transepithelial.1127.aspx