MUCOSAL INCISION-ASSISTED BIOPSY FOR GASTRIC SUBEPITHELIAL TUMORS

Abstract

Mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) is a technique that involves cutting the mucosa covered with subepithelial tumors (SET) to obtain biopsy specimens from the exposed lesions under endoscopic guidance. The diagnostic ability of MIAB for histopathological confirmation of gastric SETs is comparable with that of EUS-FNA, and this procedure is particularly useful for small lesions or in cases in which EUS-FNA-guided tissue retrieval is challenging. MIAB does not require specialized devices; therefore, most therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopists are familiar with this technique, which is performed across many hospitals. However, few studies have reported this technique; therefore, large-scale studies with long-term follow-up are warranted in future to investigate the usefulness and safety of MIAB for standardization of the procedure.