PEACE: Perception and Expectations toward Artificial Intelligence in Capsule Endoscopy

Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown promising results in digestive endoscopy, especially in capsule endoscopy (CE). However, some physicians still have some difficulties and fear the advent of this technology. We aimed to evaluate the perceptions and current sentiments toward the use of AI in CE. An online survey questionnaire was sent to an audience of gastroenterologists. In addition, several European national leaders of the International CApsule endoscopy REsearch (I CARE) Group were asked to disseminate an online survey among their national communities of CE readers (CER). The survey included 32 questions regarding general information, perceptions of AI, and its use in daily life, medicine, endoscopy, and CE. Among 380 European gastroenterologists who answered this survey, 333 (88%) were CERs. The mean average time length of experience in CE reading was 9.9 years (0.5–22). A majority of CERs agreed that AI would positively impact CE, shorten CE reading time, and help standardize reporting in CE and characterize lesions seen in CE. Nevertheless, in the foreseeable future, a majority of CERs disagreed with the complete replacement all CE reading by AI. Most CERs believed in the high potential of AI for becoming a valuable tool for automated diagnosis and for shortening the reading time. Currently, the perception is that AI will not replace CE reading.

A middle-aged woman with a heavy heart

Clinical introduction

A 51-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a 4-month history of progressive dyspnoea on exertion (New York Heart Association Functional Classification III), chest heaviness, dry cough, weight loss and tiredness. She worked as cleaning woman and had no relevant medical history, apart from an Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection 2 months before symptom onset. She did not smoke and family history was negative.

On examination, blood pressure was 104/80 mm Hg and heart rate was regular at 145 bpm. On auscultation, heart sounds were distant, muffled and there was no murmur. Minimal, bilateral pitting oedema was observed. Laboratory findings were unremarkable. During hospitalisation, cardiac monitoring revealed paroxysmal new-onset atrial fibrillation.

Chest radiography from a previous hospital had revealed cardiomegaly and subsequent echocardiography had shown pericardial effusion with diastolic dysfunction, for which she had received percutaneous pericardiocentesis. However, repeated echocardiography at our hospital showed recurrence of pericardial effusion with diastolic dysfunction and the presence of a pericardial mass. CT and Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (18F-FDG PET) scanning were done (figure 1).

Figure 1

| Contrast-enhanced CT scanning and 18F-FDG PET scanning. (A) CT scan, sagittal view; (B) 18F-FDG PET scan, frontal view;  (C) CT scan, axial view and (D) 18F-FDG PET scan, axial view.

Question

Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

And based on patient history and imaging, are further diagnostics needed?

Small bowel capsule endoscopy: Where are we after almost 15 years of use?

The development of capsule endoscopy (CE) in 2001 has given gastroenterologists the opportunity to investigate the small bowel in a non-invasive way. CE is most commonly performed for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, but other indications include diagnosis or follow-up of Crohn’s disease, suspicion of a small bowel tumor, diagnosis and surveillance of hereditary polyposis syndromes, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced small bowel lesions and celiac disease. Almost fifteen years have passed since the release of the small bowel capsule. The purpose of this review is to offer the reader a brief but complete overview on small bowel CE anno 2014, including the technical and procedural aspects, the possible complications and the most important indications. We will end with some future perspectives of CE.