Artificial intelligence in colonoscopy: A review on the current status

Abstract

Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly hot topic in the last several years, and it has also gained its way into the medical field. In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence in the gastroenterology field has been of increasing interest, particularly in the colonoscopy setting. Novel technologies such as deep neural networks have enabled real-time computer-aided polyp detection and diagnosis during colonoscopy. This might lead to increased performance of endoscopists as well as potentially reducing the costs of unnecessary polypectomies of hyperplastic polyps. Newly published prospective trials studying computer-aided detection showed that the assistance of artificial intelligence significantly increased the detection of polyps and non-advanced adenomas approximately by 10%, while three tandem randomized control trials proved that the adenoma miss rate was significantly reduced (e.g., 13.8% vs. 36.7% in one Japanese multicenter trial). Promising results have also been shown in prospective single-arm trials on computer-aided polyp diagnosis, but the evidence is insufficient to reach a conclusion.

Keywords: colorectal cancer; colorectal polyps.