Advanced endoscopy (AVE) techniques include image-enhanced endoscopy methods, such as narrow-band imaging (NBI), and types of microscopic endoscopy, such as endocytoscopy. In the esophagus, AVE first showed diagnostic utility in the diagnosis of superficial esophageal cancer and was then applied to inflammatory disease. This review focuses on non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which sometimes show no abnormal findings on standard white light endoscopy alone. Studies have demonstrated that advanced endoscopy, including NBI magnification endoscopy and endocytoscopy, improved the diagnostic performance of white-light endoscopy alone for NERD and EoE. In this review, we explain why advanced endoscopy is needed for the diagnosis of these esophageal inflammatory diseases, summarize the study results, and discuss future perspectives.
Keywords: endocytoscopy; endoscopic diagnosis; eosinophilic esophagitis; esophagus; gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); image enhanced endoscopy; magnification endoscopy; narrow-band imaging; non-erosive reflux disease (NERD).