The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of success rate and interquartile range on the accuracy of transient elastography for the diagnostic of fibrosis in hepatitis C virus infection. Two-hundred fifty-four consecutive patients had liver stiffness measurements and liver biopsy of at least 15 mm. Discordances of at least two stages between transient elastography and histological assessment were observed in 28 cases (11%).

SUMMARY BackgroundConfocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is rapidly emerging as a valuable tool for gastrointestinal endoscopic imaging. Fluorescent contrast agents are used to optimize imaging with CLE, and intravenous fluorescein is the most widely used contrast agent. Fluorescein is FDA-cleared for diagnostic angiography of the retina. For these indications, the safety profile of fluorescein has been well-documented; however, to date, fluorescein is not cleared for use with CLE.

This new nCLE criterion seems highly specific for the diagnosis of SCA. The visualization of this criterion could have a direct impact on the management of patients by avoiding unnecessary surgery or follow-up.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01563133.

In this population-based study, CD and UC incidences increased dramatically in adolescents across a 24-year span, suggesting that one or more strong environmental factors may predispose this population to IBD.

The Paris Classification is a refinement of the existing Miami Classification to improve the accuracy of pCLE for diagnosing benign inflammatory strictures. Prospective multicenter studies are needed to further validate this refined classification criteria.