Magnified single-balloon enteroscopy in the diagnosis of intestinal follicular lymphoma: a case series

The objective of this study was to evaluate the magnified endoscopic findings in the diagnosis of follicular lymphoma in the small intestine in comparison with those of intestinal follicular lymphoma and lymphangiectasia. Four patients with follicular lymphoma and 3 with lymphangiectasia in the small intestine were retrospectively analyzed. A prototype magnifying singleballoon enteroscope was used. The findings of the intestinal follicular lymphoma and lymphangiectasia were retrospectively analyzed to determine the magnified endoscopic findings of follicular lymphoma in the small intestine. Opaque white granules were observed in 3 of the 4 patients with follicular lymphoma. Magnified narrow-band imaging (NBI) of the opaque white granules showed stretched microvessels, which had a diminutive tree-like appearance. The remaining patient had no opaque white granules and only displayed whitish villi. Magnified NBI observation of the whitish villi revealed the absence of marginal villus epithelium, which was confirmed by histology. The magnified NBI enteroscopy revealed the diminutive tree-like appearance on the opaque white granules and the absence of marginal villus epithelium of the whitish villi in intestinal follicular lymphoma. These findings may be useful in diagnosing follicular lymphoma.