Barrett’s oesophagus can be diagnosed by having a test called an endoscopy. But endoscopy can be uncomfortable and does have some risks. It is not practical for everyone who has heartburn or indigestion to have an endoscopy. So, many cases of Barrett’s oesophagus are not picked up. Therefore there was a need of developing a simple method for screening. The researchers are trying to find out if something called a cytosponge can pick up Barrett’s oesophagus. Thus ‘Cytosponge’ is a useful innovation for early detection. It sits within a pill which, when swallowed, dissolves to reveal a sponge that scrapes off cells when withdrawn up the gullet. It allows doctors to collect cells from all along the gullet, whereas standard biopsies take individual point samples. Furthermore, when it moves along the passage of the esophagus it will collect cells on the sort of honeycomb lattice and about half a million cells can be analyzed.  Thus, at an early stage they can help to overcome the problem of wide variation between biopsies. This article deals with the mechanism, usage, advantages and risk factors of using cytosponge.

 

Keywords: Barrett’s, Cancer, Endoscopy, Cytosponge,  Biopsy