AI Supports Doctors in Colon Cancer Prevention at Southern NH Health

Colorectal cancer is second deadliest in U.S., but removal of pre-cancerous polyps early saves lives   

The power of artificial intelligence (AI) is being harnessed to improve efficiency and accuracy in all manner of common tasks, from writing to financial management to fitness planning. Now, it’s also assisting doctors in one of the most essential routine healthcare examinations: the colonoscopy.    

Southern New Hampshire Health was the first hospital in southern New Hampshire to implement an added layer of polyp detection technology. AI technology can be used to help detect pre-cancerous polyps.   

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.  It affects both men and women in almost equal frequency, says Dr. John V. Flannery, Jr., who has been a colorectal surgeon at Southern NH Health for 12 years.  

With this in mind, colorectal cancer screening for polyps is a critical component of cancer prevention. All the more reason that patients who are investing in their health should seek the most thorough care available.   

Polyps are growths that occur in the colon and rectum. There are several types of polyps, but adenomas are the most prevalent and account for about two-thirds of all colonic polyps. Adenomas are pre-cancerous polyps; if not removed and left to grow, adenomas will become colorectal cancer. 

What to expect from your AI-assisted colonoscopy  

In September 2023, Southern New Hampshire Health implemented AI technology that enhances the detection of colonic adenomas or the Adenoma Detection Rate (ADR). Increasing the ADR significantly decreases the patient’s odds of developing colorectal cancer.   

“The AI technology is a data bank of over 24 million polyps of all different shapes and sizes,” says Dr. Flannery. “It's much better than the human eye alone at detecting polyps.”   

Patients arrive for their AI-assisted colonoscopy after completing the bowel preparation at home. After getting checked in by the nurses and speaking to the doctor, they will be sedated for the procedure.    

As the doctor performs the colonoscopy, the AI runs in the background, flashing a box on the display screen if it detects a polyp.   

“The smaller, flat polyps are more difficult to detect in many cases,” Dr. Flannery says. “Because (AI uses) this large data bank, it can very quickly identify those polyps that are difficult to detect. It can also detect multiple polyps, regardless of where in the colon it is looking.”   

The doctor can then decide if it is truly a polyp and needs to be removed, ensuring colonoscopy accuracy.   

The procedure typically takes 15 to 30 minutes depending if polyps are found, and how many polyps were identified for removal. The current practice is to remove all polyps, regardless of whether they are suspected of being benign or cancerous.    

There is no additional cost to the patient to have a colonoscopy with this AI technology; it’s standard as part of every colonoscopy performed at Southern New Hampshire Health.    

Artificial intelligence’s impact on polyp detection  

Since Southern NH Health has begun using AI technology as part of its colonoscopies, it has seen an increase in the number of polyps detected and removed.   

“I spoke to one of our pathologists, and he said, since September of 2023, the number of polyps we are removing has substantially increased.” Dr. Flannery says.    

This is in line with the findings of a randomized controlled trial published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.   

“In one study that included very experienced endoscopists, the AI technology increased the ADR by 14.4%,” says Dr. Flannery. “That's substantial. For every 1% you increase the ADR, that translates into a 3% reduction in your risk of colorectal cancer. So that's quite significant.”   

Dr. Flannery believes that artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly with gastrointestinal imaging, will continue to improve as technology evolves.   

“The algorithms are just going to get better and more complex. This is going to aid in finding those difficult polyps.” Dr. Flannery predicts. “And that's the goal of a colonoscopy, to remove the polyp before it becomes a cancer.”   

Patients interested in scheduling a colonoscopy screening should visit the Southern NH Health website to learn more.    

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