Pentax Medical: Endoscopes with i-scan OE and CADEYE
Brand Guide · Silo Endoscopy · Colombia 2026
Pentax Medical: endoscopes with i-scan OE and CADEYE for gastroenterology
Pentax Medical (HOYA Corporation) is the world's third largest endoscope manufacturer — with i-scan OE augmented imaging technology, CADEYE artificial intelligence for adenoma detection, and a price-quality ratio that outperforms the market in Colombia 2026
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GSMED Imaging technical team — Pentax Medical distributors in Colombia
Based on official Pentax Medical / HOYA Corporation technical specifications (EPKi+ with i-scan OE, CADEYE), ESGE 2023 guidelines, Gralnek 2022 meta-analysis (i-scan OE vs NBI) and 2026 Colombian endoscopy market data.
Pentax Medical is, along with Olympus and Fujifilm, one of the three largest global manufacturers of flexible endoscopes. Pentax is a division of HOYA Corporation — a Japanese precision optics company with over 80 years of history. In Colombia, Pentax has a solid presence especially in private gastroenterology clinics, where its price-quality ratio and i-scan OE imaging technology have positioned it as a real alternative to Olympus.
1. Pentax Medical in the Colombian market
The perception that Pentax is "the third brand" in endoscopy is exclusively due to Olympus dominating the historical installed base in Colombian public hospitals — not because Pentax is technologically inferior. In terms of HD image quality, augmented imaging technology, and endoscope durability, Pentax competes on equal footing with Olympus and Fujifilm in most clinical applications.
HOYA
HOYA Corporation — Japanese optics company that manufactures Pentax Medical. +80 years of history
i-scan OE
Optical Enhancement + i-scan digital — two augmented imaging technologies in one system
CADEYE
CADe artificial intelligence for real-time polyp detection — +12% ADR in 2024 meta-analysis
25–40%
Lower initial price vs equivalent Olympus systems — key advantage in Colombia
2. The EPKi+ platform with i-scan OE
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EPKi+ processor
The central processor of the current Pentax system. It processes the endoscope image in Full HD 1080p and integrates the i-scan digital algorithms (tone, surface, pattern). It connects to the multispectral LED light source that powers the i-scan Optical Enhancement. DICOM connectivity for PACS integration. Exclusively compatible with Pentax i-Series endoscopes.
→ Full HD · i-scan digital 3 modes · DICOM · Multispectral LED
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CADEYE — AI for polyp detection
CADEYE is Pentax's artificial intelligence system (CADe — Computer Aided Detection) for real-time polyp detection in colonoscopy. It analyzes the colonoscopy video frame by frame and automatically marks areas suspected of being polyps with a green box visible on the monitor. van der Zander 2024 meta-analysis: CADEYE increases the adenoma detection rate (ADR) by 12–15% vs colonoscopy without AI — more published evidence than the Olympus equivalent (ENDO-AID) as of 2026.
→ ADR +12–15% · Real time · More evidence than ENDO-AID (2024)
3. i-scan OE + i-scan digital — the dual imaging technology
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i-scan OE — Optical Enhancement
i-scan OE is Pentax's optical imaging technology — equivalent in concept to Olympus NBI or Fujifilm BLI. It uses the multispectral LED light source to illuminate the mucosa with specific wavelengths that reveal superficial vessels and microvascularization. Gralnek 2022 meta-analysis (multicenter RCT): i-scan OE is non-inferior to NBI for colorectal adenoma detection. It is activated with a button on the endoscope head.
→ Non-inferior to NBI (Gralnek 2022) · Head button · Without losing brightness
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i-scan digital — 3 configurable modes
i-scan digital is an image post-processing system that offers 3 modes: (1) Tone Enhancement (TE) — improves the overall tonal contrast of the mucosa; (2) Surface Enhancement (SE) — amplifies the relief and texture of the mucosal surface; (3) Pattern Enhancement (PE) — highlights the differences in glandular mucosal pattern. The endoscopist can combine optical i-scan + digital i-scan in real time, with greater configuration flexibility than NBI or BLI.
→ 3 modes: Tone · Surface · Pattern · Combinable with i-scan OE
4. Pentax i-Series Endoscopes — catalog
| Model | Type | Diameter | Channel | Main indication |
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| EG-3490ZW / EG-2990Zi | Standard gastroscope | 9.8 mm | 2.8 mm | Esophagus-stomach-duodenum diagnosis · Biopsies · GERD · H. pylori with equivalent LCI |
| EG-3890TZi | Therapeutic gastroscope | 11.0 mm | 3.8 mm | Hemostasis · Endoscopic resection · Dilation |
| EC-3890LZi / EC-3490ZW | Standard colonoscope | 12.8 mm | 3.2 mm | CRC screening · Diagnosis · Polypectomy + CADEYE |
| EC-3890TLZi | Therapeutic colonoscope | 13.2 mm | 3.8 mm | ESD · Complex polypectomy · Advanced hemostasis |
| EB-1990Zi | Bronchoscope | 5.8 mm | 2.2 mm | Diagnostic bronchoscopy · BALF · Bronchial biopsy |
5. Why choose Pentax over Olympus in Colombia?
| Factor | Pentax advantage | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Initial price | 25–40% lower than equivalent Olympus | Institutions with tight budgets · New facilities |
| CADEYE (AI) | More published evidence than ENDO-AID (Olympus) | Services that prioritize maximizing ADR in screening colonoscopy |
| i-scan digital (3 modes) | Greater flexibility than NBI in digital mode | Endoscopists who want to customize augmented imaging |
| LED light source | Multispectral LED — no xenon bulb | Long-term maintenance cost reduction |
| Colombia installed base | Smaller than Olympus — service network still consolidating | Verify technical coverage in your city before deciding |
| Backward compatibility | Only Pentax i-Series endoscopes — like Olympus X1 | No advantage if you already have Olympus installed |
What does it mean that Pentax has a "smaller installed base" in Colombia?
It means there are fewer hospitals and clinics in Colombia that use Pentax compared to Olympus — due to historical distribution reasons, not quality. The practical consequence for someone buying a Pentax system in Colombia is that they must verify that the distributor (GSMED in this case) has technical service engineers available in their city and an adequate stock of key spare parts. For major cities (Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga), coverage is adequate. For intermediate cities, consult before deciding.
Pentax Medical endoscopes available in Colombia — GSMED
EPKi+ system with i-scan OE and CADEYE — gastroscopes, colonoscopes, and accessories with local technical support.
Pentax Medical in Colombia — GSMED authorized distributor
i-Series endoscopes, EPKi+, CADEYE, and accessories — with local technical support and financing available.
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