Olympus Endoscopy: Platforms, Technologies, and How to Choose
Technical guide for gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, urologists, and purchasing directors · Colombia 2026
Olympus in medical endoscopy: platforms, key technologies, and how to choose the right system for your specialty
From the gastroscope to the complete video system — everything you need to know about the Olympus EVIS EXERA III and EVIS X1 platforms, their NBI and Dual Focus technologies, and how to select the right equipment according to your specialty and procedure volume
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GSMED Imaging technical team — specialists in endoscopy equipment
Content based on official technical documentation from Olympus Latino America Medical (olympuslatinoamerica.com), Olympus Spain Medical, published specifications of the EVIS EXERA III system (CV-190/CLV-190), the Colombian Journal of Gastroenterology (2025), and technical experience in marketing endoscopy equipment in Colombia.
ℹ️ Note: Olympus® is a registered trademark of Olympus Corporation (Japan). The technical specifications mentioned in this article come from official public documentation from Olympus Medical. GSMED Imaging sells Olympus endoscopy equipment in Colombia — contact us for availability, terms, and a specific quote.
Olympus is the endoscope manufacturer with the largest presence in the world — and in Colombia, it holds the same place on the purchasing lists of hospitals, gastroenterology clinics, and pulmonology centers. It is no coincidence: from the EVIS EXERA III platform to the innovations of the X1 line, Olympus has spent decades defining the imaging standard in flexible endoscopy. This guide explains what makes Olympus systems the benchmark and how to choose the right one for each specialty and type of institution.
1. Olympus Medical: the global benchmark in flexible endoscopy
Olympus Corporation was founded in Japan in 1919 and today is the company with the largest global market share in medical flexible endoscopy. Its medical division — Olympus Medical Systems — develops and manufactures endoscopes, video processors, light sources, accessories, and complete endoscopic diagnostic and therapy systems for all specialties where the internal visualization of the human body is central: gastroenterology, pulmonology, urology, otorhinolaryngology, and surgery.
In Colombia, Olympus equipment is the de facto standard in high-complexity hospitals, gastroenterology clinics, and colorectal cancer programs. The weight of the Olympus name in an endoscopy room is not just a matter of image — it is the guarantee of compatibility, spare parts availability, and clinical training that Colombian endoscopists know and trust.
#1
Global market share in flexible endoscopy
100+
years of innovation in medical optics and instrumentation
4
generations of the EVIS platform in active clinical use in Colombia
20+
flexible endoscope models available for all specialties
The Colombian impact — gastric cancer and endoscopy An article published in the Colombian Journal of Gastroenterology in 2025 titled "Strategies to optimize the endoscopic detection of early gastric cancer" highlights that the impact of gastric cancer on the Colombian population is alarming, and that improving the quality of endoscopy and the ability to interpret endoscopic findings is the way to improve patient prognosis. The quality of endoscopy equipment is inseparable from the quality of the diagnosis.
2. Olympus platforms: from the 180 series to the X1 series
Olympus organizes its endoscopy systems into generational platforms. Each platform defines the compatibility between the video processor, the light source, and the endoscopes. Understanding the generations is key to making purchasing or endoscopy unit expansion decisions:
🔵 EVIS EXERA III
190 Series Platform Current generation
190 Series Platform Current generation
The current benchmark platform in most Colombian clinics and hospitals. The core is the CV-190 video processor and the CLV-190 xenon light source. Compatible with endoscopes from the 100, 130, 140, 150, 160, 180, and 190 series — exceptional backward compatibility that protects the investment.
Included technologies:
- NBI (Narrow Band Imaging) — double the visible distance vs the previous generation
- Dual Focus — two focus modes with one button
- Pre-Freeze — automatic capture of the sharpest image
- HDTV image processing with enhanced color reproduction
- 16:9 and 16:10 output for HD monitors
🟢 EVIS X1
X1 Series Platform Latest generation
X1 Series Platform Latest generation
The most advanced Olympus platform. Introduced in Argentina in 2025 with the first center to adopt the technology in Latin America. 4K technology with innovative light sources. It breaks down the image into brightness, texture, and colors separately — allowing more effective diagnoses of polyps and early lesions that are difficult to detect with previous generations.
Included technologies:
- 4K image — four times the resolution of Full HD
- TXI (Texture and Color Enhancement Imaging) — mucosal texture enhancement
- RDI (Red Dichromatic Imaging) — bleeding visualization
- EDOF (Extended Depth of Field) — more depth of field
- ScopeGuide — colonoscopy insertion guide
🔷 EVIS EXERA II
180 Series Platform Previous generation
180 Series Platform Previous generation
Platform with CV-180 processor and CLV-180 light source. Widely present in Colombia in endoscopy units that have not yet migrated to the 190 series. Compatible with endoscopes from the 100 to 180 series. Still supported by Olympus with spare parts and technical service. Excellent second-use option for institutions with tight budgets.
Included technologies:
- First-generation NBI — version prior to the CV-190
- High Definition — Full HD image
- Digital image capture
- Compatible with a large part of the 180 endoscope fleet
🔹 EVIS EXERA (160 Series) and earlier Legacy platforms
Platforms with CV-160, CV-140, CV-130 processors. Still in use in lower-complexity and primary-level institutions. Endoscopes from these series are compatible with the CV-190, which facilitates the transition: they can upgrade the processor while keeping the endoscopes they already have.
Features:
- SD or HD image depending on the generation
- Basic functionality — no NBI in the oldest versions
- Endoscopes are compatible with modern processors
- Very low acquisition cost on the second-use market
The key of backward compatibility — the Olympus differentiator The CV-190 is compatible with endoscopes from the EVIS 100, 130, 140, 150, EVIS EXERA 160, EVIS EXERA II 180, and EVIS EXERA III 190 series. This means that an institution that has endoscopes from the 160 or 180 series can upgrade only the processor to the CV-190 and obtain significant image improvements — without the need to replace the entire endoscope fleet. This modular upgrade strategy is one of the reasons why Olympus dominates the market in Colombia.
3. Olympus key technologies: what they mean in clinical practice
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NBI — Narrow Band Imaging
NBI is the narrow-band imaging technology that filters white light to use only two specific wavelengths (415 nm and 540 nm). These wavelengths are selectively absorbed by hemoglobin, so blood vessels in the mucosa and submucosa appear with high contrast in brown and cyan on a green background — without the need for IV contrast.
→ Improves the detection and characterization of vascular lesions, flat polyps, and early neoplasia throughout the GI mucosa and airway
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Dual Focus (Double Focus)
Two-stage optical system integrated into HQ series endoscopes. With one button, the endoscopist switches between "normal mode" (wide view, general lumen observation) and "close-up mode" (maximum resolution for detailed mucosa observation at a few millimeters). It is equivalent to having a high-resolution magnifying glass built into the endoscope.
→ Allows the optical characterization of polyps and lesions without removing the endoscope — reduces the need for unnecessary biopsies
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Pre-Freeze (Pre-Freezing)
The CV-190 processor continuously saves the latest images of the procedure in memory. When the endoscopist presses the capture button, the system automatically selects the sharpest image at that moment — not necessarily the one captured at the exact moment of the click, but the clearest one from the recent buffer. It eliminates the problem of motion blur.
→ Saves time in obtaining quality documentary images during dynamic procedures
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TXI — Texture and Color Enhancement Imaging
Exclusive to the EVIS X1 platform. It breaks down the endoscopic image into three separate channels — brightness, texture, and color — and processes them independently to recombine them with selective enhancement. The result is an image that reveals subtle mucosal patterns invisible to the eye in conventional imaging, especially useful for flat lesions that are difficult to see.
→ Improves the detection of flat lesions and subtle mucosal changes associated with early neoplasia
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RDI — Red Dichromatic Imaging
Red dichromatic imaging technology available in EVIS X1. Optimizes the visualization of active bleeding and vessels in deep tissues during therapeutic procedures. Increases the contrast between normal tissue and hemorrhagic areas, facilitating the identification of the origin of bleeding and the application of targeted hemostatic therapy.
→ Improves the ability to identify and treat bleeding during polypectomies and other therapeutic procedures
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ScopeGuide — Insertion Guide
Real-time visualization system of the position and shape of the colonoscope inside the colon using magnetic fields. It generates a 3D image of the endoscope position on a secondary screen, allowing the endoscopist to identify loops, correct them, and optimize insertion without fluoroscopic guidance.
→ Available on the X1 platform. Reduces cecal intubation time by up to 20% and improves patient comfort
4. Olympus endoscopes by specialty: what model for what procedure
🫃Gastroenterology — Upper Digestive Tract
Olympus gastroscopes cover everything from routine diagnostic evaluation to the most complex therapeutic procedures. Standard working channel models (2.8 mm) are for diagnosis and biopsies. Wide therapeutic channel models (3.7–3.8 mm) allow more complex interventions including hemostasis and mucosectomy. Double channel models allow simultaneous diagnostic and therapy procedures.
→ GIF-H190 · GIF-HQ190 · GIF-H180 · GIF-2TH180 (double channel) · GIF-1TH190 (therapeutic)
🫁Gastroenterology — Colonoscopy
Olympus 190 series colonoscopes (CF-H190L, CF-HQ190L) incorporate second-generation NBI and Dual Focus for optical diagnosis of polyps. The CF-HQ190 offers a 170-degree field of view — significantly greater than the 140° of previous generations, improving the detection rate behind folds. The 140 and 160 series are still available in good used condition.
→ CF-H190L · CF-HQ190L · CF-H180AL · CF-Q160L · CF-Q165L · CF-Q180AL
🫁Pulmonology — Bronchoscopy
Olympus EVIS EXERA III series bronchoscopes offer HD image with NBI for the characterization of lesions in the bronchial mucosa. The BF-H190 is the standard diagnostic model; the BF-1TH190 has a larger working channel for therapeutic interventions. HD image on the bronchial wall is the diagnostic difference that pulmonologists immediately notice when switching generations.
→ BF-H190 · BF-1TH190 · BF-1TQ180 · BF-Q180 · BF-1T160 · BF-1T180
🫘Urology — Cystoscopy
Olympus cystonephrofibroscopes allow the evaluation of the lower urinary tract with high-resolution imaging. The CYF-V2 and CYF-5A are the most common models in Colombia. They allow diagnosis and biopsy of bladder lesions, follow-up of urothelial carcinoma, and minimally invasive procedures in the bladder and urethra.
→ CYF-V2 · CYF-5A
👂ENT — Laryngoscopy and Nasofibrolaryngoscopy
Olympus laryngoscopes (ENF-VQ, LF-GP) enable evaluation of the larynx, pharynx, and upper airway with high-definition imaging. The ENF-VQ is a video-integrated nasopharyngolaryngoscope ideal for outpatient diagnostic evaluation. The LF-GP is a flexible intubation laryngoscope used in anesthesiology and difficult airway management.
→ ENF-VQ (Nasofibrolaryngoscope) · LF-GP (Flexible Intubation)
🔬Endoscopy Ultrasound (USE)
Olympus echoendoscopes combine conventional endoscopy with radial or linear ultrasound integrated into the tip. The GF-UCT140 is the benchmark linear echoendoscopy model for evaluating the pancreas, bile ducts, mediastinum, and performing ultrasound-guided puncture (EUS-FNA). Endoscopy ultrasound is one of the fastest-growing procedures in high-complexity gastroenterology centers in Colombia.
→ GF-UCT140 · BF-GF-UE160-AL5
5. The Olympus endoscopy tower: components and configuration
A complete Olympus endoscopy tower is not just the endoscope — it is an integrated system of components that work together to produce diagnostic-quality imaging, record the procedure, and facilitate workflow. These are the main components:
| Component | Reference model | Function | Compatible with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video processor | CV-190 (EVIS EXERA III) | Processes the endoscope image signal — quality, color, NBI, Pre-Freeze, user settings | Olympus Series 100–190 |
| Light source | CLV-190 (300W Xenon) | Illuminates the endoscopic field. The CLV-190 uses xenon for second-generation NBI — greater brightness than the CLV-180 | CV-190 · also CLV-180 for CV-180 |
| Medical monitor | OEV-261H · OEV-262H | High-definition visualization of the endoscopic image. Monitors with colorimetric calibration for diagnosis | Any system with HDMI/HD-SDI output |
| Endoscopy cart | WNP1 · WNP2 | Modular wheeled structure to organize and transport the tower components between rooms and departments | Olympus and third-party components |
| CO₂ insufflator | Olympus UCR CO₂ | Replaces atmospheric air with CO₂ during colonoscopy — reduces pain and post-procedure abdominal distension | All Olympus colonoscopes |
| Xenon lamp | CLV-190 (300W) | Light source for the EVIS EXERA III platform. Consumable that requires periodic replacement | EVIS EXERA III / CV-190 tower |
| Irrigation pump | OFP-2 | Pressure-controlled irrigation for cleaning the lens and the visual field during the procedure | All endoscopes with an irrigation port |
Are you equipping or upgrading an endoscopy unit in Colombia?
At GSMED, we have Olympus endoscopy equipment — gastroscopes, colonoscopes, bronchoscopes, processors, and accessories. Request a quote directly from our technical team.
6. How to choose the right Olympus system for your institution
| Type of institution | Recommended platform | Priority endoscopes | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-complexity gastroenterology clinic | EVIS EXERA III (CV-190) | GIF-HQ190 (HQ gastroscope) + CF-HQ190L (HQ colonoscope) | NBI + Dual Focus for optical lesion diagnosis and reduction of unnecessary biopsies |
| University hospital or reference center | EVIS X1 (latest generation) | Complete X1 line + echoendoscope | 4K technology + TXI for early lesion detection — regional benchmark |
| Private gastroenterology clinic | EVIS EXERA III (CV-190) | GIF-H190 (diagnostic) + CF-H190L (colonoscopy) | Balance between NBI technology and cost — standard expected by specialists trained in reference centers |
| Pulmonology / bronchoscopy service | EVIS EXERA III (CV-190) | BF-H190 (diagnostic) + BF-1TH190 (therapeutic) | HD image on the bronchial wall — NBI for endobronchial lesion characterization |
| First- or second-level clinic | EVIS EXERA II (CV-180) | GIF-H180 (gastroscope) + CF-H180AL (colonoscope) | Second-hand in good condition — Full HD image without the investment of the 190 series. The CV-190 can be upgraded later |
| Institution with existing 160/180 endoscopes | Upgrade to CV-190 | Keep existing endoscopes | CV-190 backward compatibility — image improvement without replacing the endoscope fleet |
7. Frequently asked questions about Olympus equipment
Are Olympus 180 series endoscopes compatible with the CV-190 processor?
Yes. The CV-190 is backward compatible with endoscopes from the EVIS 100, 130, 140, 150, EVIS EXERA 160, EVIS EXERA II 180, and EVIS EXERA III 190 series. This means that an institution that upgrades its processor to the CV-190 can continue using its 180 series endoscope fleet, gaining image processing improvements without the need to replace the endoscopes. It is one of the most cost-efficient upgrade strategies available.
What is the difference between the GIF-H190 and the GIF-HQ190?
Both are gastroscope models from the EVIS EXERA III platform (190 series), but the GIF-HQ190 incorporates High Quality (HQ) features — specifically Dual Focus, which allows switching between normal and close-up mode with a button for high-resolution mucosal observation. The GIF-H190 is the standard diagnostic model. For centers that perform optical lesion diagnosis and want to minimize unnecessary biopsies, the HQ model provides differential clinical value.
What does it mean when a piece of equipment is listed as "Sold" on the GSMED page?
The "Sold" label on Olympus endoscopy equipment at GSMED indicates that that specific piece of equipment has been sold. Since GSMED works with refurbished and second-hand equipment — which are unique units — availability varies continuously. If a model you are interested in appears as sold, it is recommended to contact the GSMED team directly to inquire about the current availability of that model or equivalent options that may be available or in the process of acquisition.
Is the NBI on the CV-190 better than on the CV-180?
Yes, significantly. The NBI on the EVIS EXERA III system (CV-190 + 190 series endoscopes) offers up to twice the viewing distance in the lumen compared to the NBI of the EVIS EXERA II generation (CV-180 + 180 series endoscopes). In addition, the NBI image on the CV-190 is significantly brighter, which improves the detection of mucosal vascular changes in distal areas of the colon or the distal airway.
How long does an Olympus endoscope last with proper maintenance?
With proper preventive maintenance (cleaning, disinfection according to protocol, periodic technical inspection, proper storage), a quality Olympus endoscope has a useful life of 8 to 15 years. Olympus 180 series endoscopes acquired in 2010–2015 are still in active clinical use in many Colombian centers in 2026. The most frequent causes of premature damage are poor handling (pulling on the angulation cable), incorrect storage (hanging with forced bends), and disinfection with products incompatible with the cover materials.
Olympus endoscopy equipment available in Colombia
Gastroscopes, colonoscopes, bronchoscopes, CV-190 and CV-180 processors, complete towers, and accessories — with technical support and specialized advice.
View Olympus equipment →
