AI in GI: What You Should Know

The Pulse | Tuesday, October 4, 2022

By Mary Grealish MSN RN CGRN CSRN

How much do you know about AI in GI? We spoke with Mary Grealish, MSN RN CGRN CSRN, who presented on the topic earlier this year at the SGNA 49th Annual Course. Get a rundown of what this tech means for the specialty.

There is no single definition of artificial intelligence (AI), but the concept involves computer programs that perform functions that we associate with human intelligence. AI is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing such tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning and problem-solving.

New to AI or want to learn more? Here are a few things to know about the technology and its related concepts:

Machine learning focuses on the use of data and algorithms to imitate the way that humans learn, gradually improving its accuracy. It provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.
Machine learning is what we see with Netflix, YouTube and Spotify; search engines like Google and Baidu; social media feeds like Facebook and Twitter; and voice assistants like Siri and Alexa.
Deep learning drives much of the AI applications and services that improve automation, performing analytical and physical tasks without human intervention.
It lies behind everyday products and services such as digital assistants, voice-enabled TV remotes, and credit card fraud detection — as well as self-driving cars.
AI supports human physicians and their changing roles. Medical imaging can be improved with AI by limiting the negativities of scanning (inaccurate diagnosis or relying on biopsies). It also provides virtual health assistance, such as:
- Reminders to take medication at the correct time
- Provide medical advice for common ailment or complaints
- Suggest diet and eating habits for people with diet restrictions
- Remind them when they need to refill medications
- Remind them of doctor appointments and manage the bookings
- Allow virtual interactions with doctors.
AI can support proactive medical care by looking at a patient’s medical history and identifying high risk markers for various diseases, and then monitor these patients for any change in their condition to suggest medical intervention.
In health care AI can also look like: predictive medical care, personalized medication, better diagnosis, advanced treatment plans and non-stop monitoring. This means lower liability for hospitals, and long-term cost savings for the patient and medical care provider.
AI can identify anatomy. It can reduce the blind spot in endoscopy that is associated with missed gastric and esophageal cancers, and guide biopsies. It can determine the depth and boundary of gastric cancer invasion. It can identify and characterize UGI tract lesions/abnormalities, as well as colorectal lesions. AI provides an automated assessment of bowel cleansing, and whatever other data that needs to be provided for a quality procedure.
Our focus in the U.S. and Europe is on colonoscopy screening and providing the best options for all with the use of AI, by improving detection rates. This helps predict histology based on neoplastic or benign behavior, and guides the appropriate therapy in the form of EMR/ESD vs surgical dissection.

References:

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