Artificial intelligence and colonoscopy − enhancements and improvements

The imitation game: a review of the use of artificial intelligence in colonoscopy, and endoscopists' perceptions thereof

The development of deep learning systems in artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled advances in endoscopy, and AI-aided colonoscopy has recently been ushered into clinical practice as a clinical decision-support tool. This has enabled real-time AI-aided detection of polyps with a higher sensitivity than the average endoscopist, and evidence to support its use has been promising thus far. This review article provides a summary of currently published data relating to AI-aided colonoscopy, discusses current clinical applications, and introduces ongoing research directions. We also explore endoscopists' perceptions and attitudes toward the use of this technology, and discuss factors influencing its uptake in clinical practice.

Acute colonic flexures: the basis for developing an artificial intelligence-based tool for predicting the course of colonoscopy

Tortuosity of the colon is an important parameter for predicting the course of colonoscopy. Computed tomography scans of the abdominal cavity were performed in 224 (94 female, 130 male) adult subjects. The number of acute (angle not exceeding 90°) bends between adjacent colonic segments was noted and analyzed. Data were analyzed for correlation with gender, age, height and weight. An artificial intelligence algorithm was proposed to predict the course of colonoscopy. We determined the number of acute flexions in females to be 9.74 ± 2.5 (min-max: 4-15) and in males to be 8.7 ± 2.75 (min-max: 4-20). In addition, more acute flexions were found in women than in men and in older women (after 60 years) and men (after 80 years) than in younger ones. We found the greatest variability in the number of acute flexures in the sigmoid colon (0-9), but no correlation was found between the number of acute flexures and age, gender, height or BMI. In the transverse colon, older and female subjects had more flexures than younger and male subjects, respectively. Older subjects had more acute flexures in the descending colon than younger subjects. There are opportunities to use the number of acute flexures (4-7, 8-12, more than 12 flexures) to classify patients into appropriate risk categories for future incomplete colonoscopy. On this basis, we predicted troublesome colonoscopies in 14.9% female and in 6.1% male subjects.