Identification of Ulcers and Erosions by the Novel Pillcam™ Crohn's Capsule Using a Convolutional Neural Network: A Multicentre Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Capsule endoscopy is a central element in the management of patients with suspected or known Crohn's disease. In 2017, PillCam™ Crohn's Capsule was introduced and demonstrated to have greater accuracy in the evaluation of extension of disease in these patients. Artificial intelligence [AI] is expected to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of capsule endoscopy. This study aimed to develop an AI algorithm for the automatic detection of ulcers and erosions of the small intestine and colon in PillCam™ Crohn's Capsule images. METHODS: A total of 8085 PillCam™ Crohn's Capsule images were extracted between 2017 and 2020, comprising 2855 images of ulcers and 1975 erosions; the remaining images showed normal enteric and colonic mucosa. This pool of images was subsequently split into training and validation datasets. The performance of the network was subsequently assessed in an independent test set. RESULTS: The model had an overall sensitivity and specificity of 90.0% and 96.0%, respectively. The precision and accuracy of this model were 97.1% and 92.4%, respectively. In particular, the algorithm detected ulcers with a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 98%, and erosions with sensitivity and specificity of 91% and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A deep learning model capable of automatically detecting ulcers and erosions in PillCam™ Crohn's Capsule images was developed for the first time. These findings pave the way for the development of automatic systems for detection of clinically significant lesions, optimizing the diagnostic performance and efficiency of monitoring Crohn's disease activity.

The Use of a PEG/Ascorbate Booster Following Standard Bowel Preparation Improves Visualization for Capsule Endoscopy in a Randomized, Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The increasing use of capsule endoscopy (CE) to examine the gastrointestinal tract highlights the need to establish intestinal preparations that ensure optimal visualization while maximizing patient adherence. Thus, we assessed whether bowel preparation involving dietary restriction and a booster regimen produces adequate CE visualization in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, prospective study of CE procedures at 2 tertiary-care centers. Patients were allocated to 3 groups: group 1 followed a clear liquid diet and fasting-based bowel preparation for the exploration (n = 55); group 2 followed the same procedure as group 1 and then ingested 1 L of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)/ascorbic acid booster solution when the capsule reached the small intestine (n = 55); and group 3 followed the same procedure but ingesting only 0.5 L of the booster solution (n = 56). The quality of visualization and the average gastric, orocecal and small-bowel transit times were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients participated in the study. Significantly higher quality of visualization (Park score) was obtained in group 3 (2.28 ± 0.59) than in group 1 (1.84 ± 0.54, P < .001), while there were no significant differences in the average gastric (range: 36.58- 48.32 min, P = .277), orocecal (range: 322.58-289.45 min, P = .072), and small-bowel transit time (range: 280.71-249.95 min, P = .286) between the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Following a clear liquid diet and fasting-based bowel preparation for CE exploration, administering a booster solution of PEG/ascorbic acid after the capsule had reached the small intestine improves mucosal visualization and cleansing without affecting capsule transit times.