Objectives: We aimed to clarify the endoscopic and clinicopathological features of raspberry-shaped gastric lesions (RSGLs) and to establish an endoscopic diagnostic algorithm for RSGLs.
Methods: We collected RSGLs from an endoscopic database at our hospital between May 2009 and August 2021. All RSGLs were histopathologically classified and compared based on their endoscopic and clinicopathological characteristics.
Results: Sixty-five RSGLs in 54 patients were classified into five histopathological types: gastric adenocarcinoma of foveolar type (GA-FV, n = 43), gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland type (GA-FG, n = 2), gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland mucosa type (GA-FGM, n = 4), hyperplastic polyp (HP, n = 12), and proton pump inhibitor-related lesion (PPI-L, n = 4). All RSGLs exhibited polygonal or curved marginal crypt epithelium (MCE). GA-FV lesions had homogenously reddish (95%) and an irregular microvascular (MV) pattern (91%). GA-FG lesions were heterogeneously reddish with a submucosal tumor shape (100%) and had a regular MV pattern (50%). GA-FGM lesions were homogen+ously reddish (75%) and occasionally had a submucosal tumor shape (50%) with an irregular MV pattern (75%). HPs and PPI-Ls were homogeneously reddish (93%), with linear or dotted MCE (81%) and a regular MV pattern (100%).
Conclusion: Our diagnostic algorithm for RSGLs constructed using endoscopic features might be useful for the endoscopic differential diagnosis of RSGLs.
Keywords: Helicobacter pylori-uninfected gastric cancer; early gastric cancer; gastric adenocarcinoma of foveolar type; gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland mucosa type; gastric adenocarcinoma of fundic-gland type; hyperplastic polyp; proton pump inhibitor-related lesion; raspberry-shaped gastric lesion.