Colonoscopy surveillance interval
Enter the polyps removed and see the surveillance interval the guideline sets, with the rule and its source.
Not for intervals after a surveillance colonoscopy.
Tick if any apply.
| Prevalence | Histopathology | Guideline interval |
|---|---|---|
| ~45–60% | Tubular adenoma | 10 years (usual screening) |
| ~20–30% | Hyperplastic | 10 years (usual screening) |
| ~5–15% | Tubulovillous / villous | 10 years (usual screening) |
| ~1–8% | Sessile serrated | 10 years (usual screening) |
| <1% | Traditional serrated | 3 years |
How ESGE 2020 sets the colonoscopy surveillance interval
The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) 2020 guideline divides patients into two groups after complete removal of one or more polyps at a high-quality colonoscopy: those who return to routine screening and those who need surveillance. Surveillance applies only to larger, more numerous, or dysplastic lesions, and where it applies the baseline interval is 3 years. ESGE abandoned the older high-risk and low-risk labels, and it does not treat villous histology or polyp location as a reason to shorten the interval.
| Finding at the baseline colonoscopy | Surveillance interval |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 adenomas under 10 mm with low-grade dysplasia (with or without villous features) | Usual screening (colonoscopy in 10 years where no organised screening program exists) |
| Any serrated polyp under 10 mm without dysplasia | Usual screening (colonoscopy in 10 years where no organised screening program exists) |
| At least 1 adenoma 10 mm or larger, or an adenoma with high-grade dysplasia | 3 years, colonoscopy |
| 5 or more adenomas | 3 years, colonoscopy |
| Any serrated polyp 10 mm or larger, or with dysplasia | 3 years, colonoscopy |
| 10 or more adenomas | No surveillance interval set; referral for genetic counselling |
| Piecemeal resection of a polyp 20 mm or larger | Early repeat colonoscopy at 3 to 6 months, then surveillance colonoscopy 12 months after that |
ESGE returns 1 to 4 small adenomas with low-grade dysplasia to routine screening, whether or not they are villous, while the United States keeps the same adenomas in colonoscopy surveillance at 7 to 10 years.
Source: ESGE 2020 (Hassan et al., Endoscopy 2020;52(8):687–700) ↗. This is the baseline colonoscopy table; enter specific findings in the calculator above for the rule and its exact wording.
For common questions and the source behind each rule across all the guidelines, see the colonoscopy surveillance guideline reference.
Reference tool for health professionals. Not medical advice, not a medical device, and does not make or replace a clinical decision. The calculation runs in your browser; the findings you enter are not transmitted or stored. The Aescia clinical team reviews this tool periodically against the source guidelines and updates it when they change, but guidelines are revised without notice; verify against the current version before acting. If you notice an error, tell us at contact@aesciahealth.com.
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