A large real-world study from China found that AI-assisted upper endoscopy nearly doubled the detection of high-risk gastric lesions (HrGLs), including early gastric cancer and gastric dysplasia.
After matching more than 15,500 patients, researchers reported a HrGL detection rate of 0.94% with AI assistance versus 0.48% without AI, representing a nearly 2-fold improvement. The benefit was observed across multiple lesion types, including early gastric cancer, and was particularly pronounced when AI was used by experienced endoscopists and during sedated procedures.
The findings add to growing evidence that AI can enhance lesion detection beyond colonoscopy, suggesting a potential role in improving the early identification of gastric neoplasia during routine upper GI endoscopy.