Usefulness of magnifying narrow band imaging for assessing lateral tumor extent of early gastric cancer: a case report.

Narrow band imaging with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) is a novel technology that enhances vascular architecture and surface structure of the superficial mucosa of the gastric cancer. We report a case in which the lateral extent of slightly elevated tumor was clearly defined based on the presence of irregular microvessel pattern and irregular microsurface pattern using NBI-ME. This lesion was diagnosed as well-differentiated adenocarcinoma confined to the mucosa because of granular/papillary surface structure containing loop-like microvessels.