Use of an artificial intelligence (AI)-augmented digital system that annotates regions of interest within digitalized polyp tissue and predicts polyp types using a deep learning model helps improve the accuracy of classification by pathologists, according to a study published online Nov. 18 in JAMA Network Open. Mustafa Nasir-Moin, from the Geisel School of Medicine in Hanover, New Hampshire, and colleagues compared standard microscopic assessment with an AI-augmented digital system. A total of 100 slides with colorectal polyp samples were read by 15 pathologists using a microscope and an AI-augmented digital system.
Author: Praveen Suthrum
Question: What will gastroenterology look like in 10 years? Michael Dragutsky. Chairman of One GI (Nashville, Tenn.): Two clinical emerging areas, which will be mainstays of practice, are targeted preventive screening based on patients’ individual genetic information and therapeutic adjustment of individual microbiomes, as the role the gut primarily plays in a multitude of diseases (such as autoimmune diseases, brain health and obesity) becomes better understood. Additionally, consolidation will continue with eventual development of regional and supra-regional mega-gastroenterology groups. Andy Paulson. Executive director of Central Illinois Endoscopy Center (East Peoria): I believe that in 10 years gastroenterology will be made up of…
United Digestive announces its further expansion in Georgia through a partnership with Digestive Care Physicians (DCP) based in Johns Creek, Ga. “We are thrilled to have the physicians and team at DCP join United Digestive,” said Neal C. Patel, MD, Chief Strategy Officer of United Digestive. “Their reputation for delivering patient-centered, compassionate care aligns closely with our own values.”
GI Alliance, the nation’s largest independent gastroenterology services organization, is pleased to announce a partnership with East Valley Gastroenterology and Hepatology Associates (EVGHA), expanding GI Alliance’s presence in Arizona and the greater Phoenix area. Located in Chandler, Arizona, EVGHA serves the broader market of Gilbert, Casa Grande, Ahwatukee, Maricopa, East Mesa, Queen Creek, and Sun Lake. The six-physician practice, established in 2004, is a trusted healthcare provider in Southeast Phoenix, focusing on digestive and liver disorders. The practice employs over 30 employees across three locations and cares for more than 13,000 patients annually.
The FDA granted Check-Cap’s C-Scan an investigational device exemption March 15 that will allow the test to launch a clinical study in the U.S. The C-Scan test is a capsule-based screening technology used to detect polyps before they turn into cancer. The test uses an ultralow-dose X-ray capsule and a proprietary software system to generate a map of the inner lining of the colon as it travels through the gastrointestinal tract. The test requires no bowel preparation and is noninvasive. The test, however, is not a colonoscopy replacement and all positive C-Scan tests should be followed by a colonoscopy. Check-Cap will soon…
BETHESDA, Md. and ALISO VIEJO, Calif., March 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — GI OnDEMAND ®, gastroenterology’s leading multidisciplinary virtual integrated care platform today announced a partnership with Ambry Genetics®, a leading clinical genetic testing company, to integrate online genetic counseling and testing services into gastroenterology practices nationwide. This partnership addresses a critical clinical need for identifying hereditary GI cancer syndromes to help guide potentially life-altering health care decisions. GI OnDEMAND, a joint venture between the American College of Gastroenterology and Gastro Girl, Inc., will now offer the CARE (Comprehensive, Assessment, Risk, and Education) Program™ from Ambry Genetics. CARE automates the genetic screening process, provides education on genetic testing to…
Phone apps that track stool habits are as accurate and effective as traditional paper diaries and could help improve the management of these conditions, researchers have found. Satish Rao, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine and the J. Harold Harrison Distinguished University Chair in Gastroenterology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, and his colleagues created the apps to remedy common issues with traditional paper diaries. Patients often forget to regularly enter their stool habits—leading to recall bias—or they may be embarrassed to keep a physical log of their symptoms at home. “We said, ‘There has to be…
Colorado-based cliexa, the maker of various software tools for providers, announced in a blog post yesterday that it has acquired ProSkedge.com, an automated scheduling platform for surgical procedures. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. WHAT’S THE IMPACT? ProSkedge is the work of Dr. Lukasz Kowalczyk, a practicing gastroenterologist who, according to his LinkedIn profile, started ProSkedge in June 2019. As a part of cliexa’s offering, though, it extends beyond surgical scheduling to act as an all-in-one tool for gastroenterology (GI) practices. According to its new product page, the platform is now capable of gathering the necessary approvals, providing…
A miniature camera the size of a capsule that is swallowed and that then transmits images of the inside of the gut can reveal cancer and gastrointestinal diseases. The device, which will be studied in a trial conducted by the National Health Service (NHS) in England, is used by patients at home instead of having to visit a clinic for an endoscopy. “These minute cameras pass through your body, they take two pictures per second checking for signs of cancer and other conditions like Crohn’s disease,” commented Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England. The trial, announced on March 11, will initially involve 11,000 patients…
A blood-based colorectal cancer test was found to be the most cost-effective alternative colorectal cancer test for people who didn’t want a colonoscopy or fecal immunochemical test, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers used the microsimulation screening analysis-colon model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening with capsule endoscopy, computed tomographic colonography, multitarget stool DNA tests and the mSEPT9 blood test, according to the February 2021 study. They also compared the alternatives with FIT and colonoscopy screenings.