Effect of educational lecture on the diagnostic accuracy of Japan NBI Expert Team classification for colorectal lesions

An educational and training program is required for generalization of Japan NBI Expert Team (JNET) classification. However, there is no detailed report on the learning curve of the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopists using JNET classification. We examined the effect of an educational lecture on beginners and less experienced endoscopists for improving their diagnostic accuracy of colorectal lesions by JNET classification. Seven beginners with no endoscopy experience (NEE group), 7 less experienced endoscopists (LEE group), and 3 highly experienced endoscopists (HEE group) performed diagnosis using JNET classification for randomized NBI images of colorectal lesions from 180 cases (Type 1: 22 cases, Type 2A: 105 cases, Type 2B: 33 cases, and Type 3: 20 cases). Next, the NEE and LEE groups received a lecture on JNET classification, and all 3 groups repeated the diagnostic process. We compared the correct diagnosis rate and interobserver agreement before and after the lecture comprehensively and for each JNET type. In the HEE group, the correct diagnosis rate was more than 90% with good interobserver agreements (kappa value: 0.78-0.85). In the NEE and LEE groups, the correct diagnosis rate (NEE: 60.2 → 68.0%, P