This piece was last updated on 4/12/24 to reflect current information and statistics.
A July 2022 study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology spotlights a new artificial intelligence (AI) based smartphone tool to assist patients in gauging the success of their colonoscopy prep.
The Study
The colonoscopist-blinded, randomized study included 1,434 patients, according to Becker’s. Participants were broken into two groups. The first group, labeled as the control group, performed routine self-evaluation throughout their preparation process. A second group used an AI tool to assist in and gauge prep effectiveness.
“The primary outcome was the consistency (homogeneity) between the results of the two methods,” the study states. “The secondary outcomes included the quality of bowel preparation according to the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the polyp detection rate (PDR), and the adenoma detection rate (ADR).”
Results of the study showed that pass/no pass rates between the groups were similar. Furthermore, PDR, ADR, and prep results based on the BBPS also remained similar. The main differentiator in the results was the ranking of mean BBPS scores for those who passed.
“The mean BBPS score of patients with “pass” results were significantly higher in the AI-CNN group than in the Control group,” the study states.
With these results, researchers believe that AI assisted prep can improve the quality of bowel prep in those already undergoing the process. The AI-CNN model may apply a stricter assessment standard than patient self-evaluation. This suggests the AI tool could further enhance bowel cleansing in patients with adequate prep.
As AI continues to grow and evolve in the healthcare sector, we can expect to see more advancements and innovations in the coming years. The potential uses of AI are vast, ranging from automating routine tasks to enhancing preventative care and personalized treatment plans. While there may be challenges in store, these results have led researchers to believe that AI assisted prep can improve the quality of bowel prep in those already undergoing the process.
To read the study and its results, click here.
