April 2021
This Rejigit writer is very fortunate to have been enrolled in a public health colorectal surveillance initiative in New Zealand for a number of years which has involved regular and ongoing colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy procedures. Patients undergoing such procedures are given an option of an anaesthetic or to remain aware of proceedings. The writer has opted to remain aware and able to observe one’s own gastrointestinal tract via a screen alongside the theatre table. It may not appeal to all and it tends to focus the mind when watching a maybe suspicious polyp being excised from your colon via an illuminated wire loop extending through the colonoscope.
Professor Alessandro Repici from the Humanitas Research Hospital in Milano headed up a team responsible for the development of revolutionary new AI driven technology to assist in the early detection of colorectal cancer. Professor Repici and his team of specialists are to be applauded for their ground breaking work.
The GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy module was recently approved by the United States FDA by way of a De Nova application and will assist doctors in identifying precancerous polyps and in terms of healthcare is one of the first commercially available computer-aided detection devices.
GI Genius™ technology is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing colonoscopy equipment and operates in real-time, automatically identifying abnormalities consistent with colorectal polyps, including those with flat (non-polypoid) morphology.
It is intended as an adjunct to the Gastroenterologist during a colonoscopy with the purpose of highlighting regions with visual characteristics consistent with different types of mucosal abnormalities, such as colorectal polyps of all shapes, sizes, and morphology.
The AI aspect of this technology is based on a unique proprietary library of high-definition loss-less videos of porevious colonoscopies together with proprietary software and algorithms.
Colon cancer is the second deadliest cancer worldwide but it is also the most preventable and sadly full prevention is not yet being achieved. One in twenty US adults will be diagnosed with this disease in their lifetime and 90% of patients can be cured provided it is diagnosed early enough. Colonoscopy is the most common screening method but it is not perfect. Clinical performance varies due to many factors including physician skill level etc. The GI Genius intelligent endoscopy module will help improve the accuracy of colonoscopy procedures.
The GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy system is a registered trademark of Medtronic plc and the new technology is estimated to have an international market potential of more than US$1.1b.
P.S. Rejigit highly recommends that those who are eligible, participate in the free of cost National Bowel Screening Programme currently underway in New Zealand. For information go to https://www.timetoscreen.nz/bowel-screening/