New study findings have shown that artificial intelligence (AI) technology-assisted coloscopy improves the accuracy of polyp detection, which plays an important role in the prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Medtronic plc (Dublin, Ireland) has announced final findings from a randomized, international, multi-center study that confirmed the effectiveness of its GI Genius intelligent endoscopy module, which uses AI as an aid in detecting colorectal polyps during colonoscopy, potentially helping to prevent CRC. The study found that the use of GI Genius in conjunction with colonoscopy significantly decreases the miss rate (2x) of colorectal polyps and adenomas compared to standard colonoscopy.

In colonoscopies performed as part of the study, adenoma miss rate (AMR) was significantly lower when GI Genius was used as compared to a non-AI-assisted colonoscopy (15.5% vs. 32.4%; p-value <0.001). These findings demonstrate that the use of GI Genius during colonoscopy significantly decreases the miss rate of both adenomas and polyps, further confirming the benefit GI Genius adds to colonoscopy procedures. The study further found that false negative rates, when a GI Genius-assisted colonoscopy detected adenoma(s) after an initial standard colonoscopy did not, were much lower than that of non-AI-assisted colonoscopies (6.8% vs. 29.6%). In this study, a false negative indicates patients with an initial standard colonoscopy where no adenoma was detected were subsequently found to have at least one adenoma during a second AI-assisted colonoscopy.

"We know that colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening and this study unequivocally demonstrates that AI-technology can help physicians better detect polyps during the procedure," said Dr. Austin Chiang, M.D., M.P.H., chief medical officer of the Gastrointestinal business, which is part of the Medical Surgical Portfolio at Medtronic. "As a gastroenterologist, I worry about missed polyps because around half of all cases of post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer may be attributed to not catching them during the index colonoscopy. The impact of missed polyps could ultimately be the difference between life and death when we consider that 90% of patients with colon cancer can beat it when it's caught early."

"These findings emphasize the value of artificial intelligence in increasing precancerous polyp detection in colonoscopy," said Douglas K. Rex, M.D., MASGE, president, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 

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