Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy Research Articles

Incomplete small bowel capsule endoscopy: risk factors and cost-effectiveness of real-time viewing

Incomplete small bowel capsule endoscopy: risk factors and cost-effectiveness of real-time viewing

Efficacy of serum leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein in predicting findings of Crohn's disease small bowel lesion in capsule endoscopy.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an evaluation method for small bowel (SB) lesions in Crohn's disease (CD). However, the relationship between SBCE findings and the serological biomarker leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) remains unclear. We aimed to establish appropriate cutoff values of LRG to predict the presence of SB lesions in CD through SBCE. Patients with CD with SB lesions who had undergone SBCE and LRG measurements 1 month before and after the SBCE were included. The LRG values for ulcers ≥0.5 cm and other inflammatory lesions noted in SBCE were determined using the Youden Index, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Additionally, the correlation between the SBCE scores (CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy) and LRG values was evaluated. Forty patients without active colorectal lesions were included in the study. When the cutoff value of LRG for SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm was set at 14 μg/mL, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 81.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 70.6%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.7%. In contrast, an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL without inflammatory findings had a sensitivity of 91.7%, specificity of 82.1%, PPV of 68.8%, and NPV of 95.8%. CD Activity in Capsule Endoscopy correlated well with LRG values (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient ρ = 0.681, P< 0.001). An LRG cutoff value of 14 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the presence of SB ulcers ≥ 0.5 cm, and an LRG cutoff value of 12 μg/mL may be useful in predicting the absence of SB inflammatory findings.

Environmental impact of small-bowel capsule endoscopy.

The environmental impact of endoscopy, including small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), has gained attention due to its contribution to the global carbon footprint. This study aimed to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (kgCO2e) of SBCE, including devices life cycle and capsule journey. SBCE devices (3 brands) were evaluated using life cycle assessment methodology (ISO 14040), including patient travelling, bowel preparation, capsule examination and video recording. A survey was conducted on 120 patients undergoing a SBCE to gather data on their transportation, activities during the procedure, and awareness of pollution generated and on 87 physicians reading capsules. For the 3 different capsules, the weight was 4 g (3.9-5.2% of total), while 43 to 119 g were attributed for packaging (9-97%) including 5 g of deactivation magnets (4-6%) and 11 to 50 g for instruction forms (40%). A full SBCE generated between 19 and 20 kgCO2e, including 0.04 kgCO2e (0.2%) for the capsule itself and 18 kgCO2e related to patient travelling (94.7%). Capsule retrieval would add 0.98 kgCO2e using dedicated devices. Capsule deconstruction revealed components (e.g. Neodymium) that are prohibited from environmental disposal. 76% of patients were not aware of the illegal nature of flushing capsules, and 63% would be willing to retrieve it. Data storage and physician impact were negligible. The GHG emission of SBCE is mainly determined by patient travelling. The capsule device itself has a comparably low carbon footprint. Considering capsule components disposal is illegal, retrieval of the capsule seems crucial but increasing device-related emissions.

AI-assisted capsule endoscopy reading in suspected small bowel bleeding: a multicentre prospective study

Capsule endoscopy reading is time consuming, and readers are required to maintain attention so as not to miss significant findings. Deep convolutional neural networks can recognise relevant findings, possibly exceeding human performances and reducing the reading time of capsule endoscopy. Our primary aim was to assess the non-inferiority of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted reading versus standard reading for potentially small bowel bleeding lesions (high P2, moderate P1; Saurin classification) at per-patient analysis. The mean reading time in both reading modalities was evaluated among the secondary endpoints. Patients aged 18 years or older with suspected small bowel bleeding (with anaemia with or without melena or haematochezia, and negative bidirectional endoscopy) were prospectively enrolled at 14 European centres. Patients underwent small bowel capsule endoscopy with the Navicam SB system (Ankon, China), which is provided with a deep neural network-based AI system (ProScan) for automatic detection of lesions. Initial reading was performed in standard reading mode. Second blinded reading was performed with AI assistance (the AI operated a first-automated reading, and only AI-selected images were assessed by human readers). The primary endpoint was to assess the non-inferiority of AI-assisted reading versus standard reading in the detection (diagnostic yield) of potentially small bowel bleeding P1 and P2 lesions in a per-patient analysis. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04821349. From Feb 17, 2021 to Dec 29, 2021, 137 patients were prospectively enrolled. 133 patients were included in the final analysis (73 [55%] female, mean age 66·5 years [SD 14·4]; 112 [84%] completed capsule endoscopy). At per-patient analysis, the diagnostic yield of P1 and P2 lesions in AI-assisted reading (98 [73·7%] of 133 lesions) was non-inferior (p<0·0001) and superior (p=0·0213) to standard reading (82 [62·4%] of 133; 95% CI 3·6-19·0). Mean small bowel reading time was 33·7 min (SD 22·9) in standard reading and 3·8 min (3·3) in AI-assisted reading (p<0·0001). AI-assisted reading might provide more accurate and faster detection of clinically relevant small bowel bleeding lesions than standard reading. ANKON Technologies, China and AnX Robotica, USA provided the NaviCam SB system.

Patients on Antithrombotic Agents with Small Bowel Bleeding -Yield of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy and Subsequent Management.

Small bowel gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is associated with multiple blood transfusions, prolonged and/or multiple hospital admissions, utilization of significant healthcare resources, and negative effects on patient quality of life. There is a well-recognized association between antithrombotic medications and small bowel GIB. We aimed to identify the diagnostic yield of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in patients on antithrombotic medications and the impact of SBCE on treatment course. The electronic medical records of nineteen hundred eighty-six patients undergoing SBCE were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic yield for detecting stigmata of recent bleeding and/or actively bleeding lesions in SBCE was higher in patients that were on antiplatelet agents (21.6%), patients on anticoagulation (22.5%), and in patients that had their SBCE performed while they were inpatient (21.8%), when compared to the patients not on antiplatelet agents (12.1%), patients not on anticoagulation (13.5%), and with patients that had their SBCE performed in the outpatient setting (12%). Of 318 patients who had stigmata of recent bleeding and/or actively bleeding lesion(s) identified on SBCE, SBCE findings prompted endoscopic evaluation (small bowel enteroscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and/or colonoscopy) in 25.2%, with endoscopic hemostasis attempted in 52.5%. Our study, the largest conducted to date, emphasizes the importance of performing SBCE as part of the evaluation for suspected small bowel bleeding, particularly in patients taking antithrombotic therapy, and especially during their inpatient hospital stay.

Yield of capsule endoscopy and subsequent device-assisted enteroscopy: Experience at an Australian tertiary centre.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) have an established role in the investigation and management of small bowel pathology. Previous studies have reported on the yield of SBCE (60%) and DAE (57%), but none have been in an Australian setting. To determine the yield of SBCE and any DAE performed as a direct consequence of SBCE in an Australian referral centre. A single-centre retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Australia, enrolling consecutive patients between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2021 undergoing SBCE. Data were collected with respect to demographics, procedural factors and findings, as well as findings and interventions of any DAE procedures performed after the SBCE. 1214 SBCEs were performed, with a median age of 66 years old (60.8% men). The predominant indications were anaemia (n = 853, 70.2%) and overt gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 320, 26.4%). Of the complete small bowel studies (1132/1214, 93.2%), abnormal findings were detected in 588 cases (51.9%), most commonly angioectasias (266/588, 45.2%), erosions (106/588, 18.0%) and ulcers (97/588, 8.6%). 165 patients underwent a DAE (117 antegrade, 48 retrograde). Antegrade DAE had a higher yield than retrograde DAE (77.8% vs 54.2%; P = 0.002) and a higher rate of intervention (69.2% vs 37.5%; P < 0.001). In this largest single-centre cohort of patients undergoing SBCE to date, there is a similar yield of abnormal findings compared to existing literature. DAE, especially with an antegrade approach, had high diagnostic and therapeutic yield when pursued after a positive SBCE study.

A comprehensive examination of small-bowel capsule endoscopy in Spanish centers to meet European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy standards.

Background and study aims In 2019, the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) created a working group to develop technical and quality standards for small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) to improve the daily practice of endoscopy services. They developed 10 quality parameters, which have yet to be tested in a real-life setting. Our study aimed to evaluate the accomplishment of the quality standards in SBCE established by the ESGE in several Spanish centers. Materials and methods An online survey of 11 multiple-choice questions related to the ESGE performance measures was sent to Spanish centers with experience in SBCE. In order to participate and obtain reliable data, at least 100 questionnaires had to be answered per center because that is the minimum number established by ESGE. Results 20 centers participated in the study, compiling 2049 SBCEs for the analysis. Only one of 10 performance measures (cecal visualization) reached the minimum standard established by the ESGE. In five of 10 performance measures (Indication, lesion detection rate, terminology, and retention rate) the minimum standard was nearly achieved. Conclusions Our study is the first multicenter study regarding SBCE quality performance measures in a real setting. Our results show that the minimum standard is hardly reached in most procedures, which calls into question their clinical applicability in real life. We suggest performing similar studies in other countries to evaluate whether there is a need for quality improvement programs or a need to reevaluate the minimum and target values published so far.

Development and validation of a deep learning system for detection of small bowel pathologies in capsule endoscopy: a pilot study in a Singapore institution.

Deep learning models can assess the quality of images and discriminate among abnormalities in small bowel capsule endoscopy (CE), reducing fatigue and the time needed for diagnosis. They serve as a decision support system, partially automating the diagnosis process by providing probability predictions for abnormalities. We demonstrated the use of deep learning models in CE image analysis, specifically by piloting a bowel preparation model (BPM) and an abnormality detection model (ADM) to determine frame-level view quality and the presence of abnormal findings, respectively. We used convolutional neural network-based models pretrained on large-scale open-domain data to extract spatial features of CE images that were then used in a dense feed-forward neural network classifier. We then combined the open-source Kvasir-Capsule dataset (n = 43) and locally collected CE data (n = 29). Model performance was compared using averaged five-fold and two-fold cross-validation for BPMs and ADMs, respectively. The best BPM model based on a pre-trained ResNet50 architecture had an area under the receiver operating characteristic and precision-recall curves of 0.969±0.008 and 0.843±0.041, respectively. The best ADM model, also based on ResNet50, had top-1 and top-2 accuracies of 84.03±0.051 and 94.78±0.028, respectively. The models could process approximately 200-250 images per second and showed good discrimination on time-critical abnormalities such as bleeding. Our pilot models showed the potential to improve time to diagnosis in CE workflows. To our knowledge, our approach is unique to the Singapore context. The value of our work can be further evaluated in a pragmatic manner that is sensitive to existing clinician workflow and resource constraints.

Evaluation of the safety, efficacy and feasibility of ‘at-home’ capsule endoscopy

ObjectiveThe role of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases has long been established. Recently, colon CE (CCE) has been suggested as an alternative to colonoscopy. CE has...

Reading of small bowel capsule endoscopy after frame reduction using an artificial intelligence algorithm

ObjectivesPoorly visualized images that appear during small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) can confuse the interpretation of small bowel lesions and increase the physician’s workload. Using a validated artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that can evaluate the mucosal visualization, we aimed to assess whether SBCE reading after the removal of poorly visualized images could affect the diagnosis of SBCE.MethodsA study was conducted to analyze 90 SBCE cases in which a small bowel examination was completed. Two experienced endoscopists alternately performed two types of readings. They used the AI algorithm to remove poorly visualized images for the frame reduction reading (AI user group) and conducted whole frame reading without AI (AI non-user group) for the same patient. A poorly visualized image was defined as an image with < 50% mucosal visualization. The study outcomes were diagnostic concordance and reading time between the two groups. The SBCE diagnosis was classified as Crohn’s disease, bleeding, polyp, angiodysplasia, and nonspecific finding.ResultsThe final SBCE diagnoses between the two groups showed statistically significant diagnostic concordance (k = 0.954, p < 0.001). The mean number of lesion images was 3008.5 ± 9964.9 in the AI non-user group and 1401.7 ± 4811.3 in the AI user group. There were no cases in which lesions were completely removed. Compared with the AI non-user group (120.9 min), the reading time was reduced by 35.6% in the AI user group (77.9 min).ConclusionsSBCE reading after reducing poorly visualized frames using the AI algorithm did not have a negative effect on the final diagnosis. SBCE reading method integrated with frame reduction and mucosal visualization evaluation will help improve AI-assisted SBCE interpretation.

A165 MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE SMALL BOWEL DIAGNOSED BY DOUBLE BALLOON ENTEROSCOPY: A FIFTEEN-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF A MEDICAL CENTER IN MID-TAIWAN

Abstract Background The malignant tumors of the small bowel are relatively rare, and their pre-operative diagnosis is usually difficult Aims This study was aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with malignant small bowel tumors who underwent double balloon enteroscopy. Secondary end points were to evaluate the usefulness and safety of double balloon enteroscopy for the diagnosis of patients with suspected small bowel tumors derived from other previous procedures. Methods From January 2008 to June 2023, we retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent double balloon enteroscopy at a medical center in mid-Taiwan over a 15-year period (Figure 1). Results Double balloon enteroscopy were performed in 1001 patients. Small bowel tumors were diagnosed in 141 patients (141/1001; 14.1%), of which 76 patients (53.9%) (43 males, a mean age of 61.89 years) had malignant tumors : 37 had gastrointestinal stromal tumors (49.4%), 16 had adenocarcinoma (20.8%), 10 had metastatic cancer (13.1%), 7 had lymphoma (9.2%), 3 had angiosarcoma (3.9%), 2 had carcinoid (2.6%), and 1 had desmoid tumor (1.3%) (Figure 2). The indications for double-balloon enteroscopy in patients with malignant small bowel tumors were obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (68.4%). The concordance rate of diagnoses based on double balloon enteroscopy with diagnoses based on small bowel barium study, computed tomography, and capsule endoscopy among patients with small bowel tumors was 54.1%, 65.9% , and 76.9%, respectively. (Figure 3, 4) . Therapeutic plans were changed to surgery in 67.1 % of patients with malignant small bowel tumors. Additionally, treatment was added on chemotherapy in 25.6% of patients with malignant small bowel tumors after the results of double-balloon enteroscopy. Conclusions Approximately 14.1% of patients who underwent double balloon enteroscopy had small bowel tumors, 53.9% of small bowel tumors are malignant. The most common indication for double balloon enteroscopy in patients with malignant small bowel tumors was obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Double balloon enteroscopy is a very useful modality in diagnosing malignant small bowel tumors and has an important impact on therapeutic plans and clinical results. Figure 1. The Prevalence Rate of Small Bowel Tumor Figure 2. Malignant tumor Figure 3. Location Distribution of Small Bowel Tumors Figure 4. The clinical manifestations of Malignancy Tumors Funding Agencies None Intestinal Disorders

The professional background of a referring physician predicts the diagnostic yield of small bowel capsule endoscopy in suspected small bowel bleeding.

Background and study aims The diagnostic yield of small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in suspected small bowel bleeding (SSBB) is highly variable. Different reimbursement systems and equipment costs also limit SBCE use in clinical practice. Thus, minimizing non-diagnostic procedures is advisable. This study aimed to assess the SBCE diagnostic yield and identify factors predicting diagnostic findings in a cohort of patients with SSBB. Patients and methods In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the medical records of patients who consecutively underwent SBCE for SSBB over 9 years. By logistic regression, we identified covariates predicting diagnostic findings at SBCE. Finally, we performed a post-hoc cost analysis based on previous gastroenterologist or endoscopist consultations versus direct SBCE ordering by other specialists. Results The final analysis included 584 patients. Most SBCEs were ordered by a gastroenterologist or endoscopist (74%). The number of SBCEs without any finding was significantly lower in the gastroenterologist/endoscopist group P <0.001). The SBCE diagnostic yield ordered by a gastroenterologist or endoscopist was significantly higher than that by other specialists (63% vs 52%, odds ratio [OR] 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-2.26, P =0.019). At multivariate analysis, older age (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.2-2.4, P =0.005), anemia (OR 4.9, 95%CI 1.9-12, P =0.001), small bowel transit time (OR 1, 95%CI 1-1.02, P =0.039), and referring physician (OR 1.8, 95%CI 1.1-2.7, P =0.003) independently predicted diagnostic findings. Implementing prior gastroenterologist or endoscopist referral vs direct SBCE ordering would reduce medical expenditures by 16%. Conclusions The professional background of referring physicians significantly improves the diagnostic yield of SBCE and contributes to controlling public health costs.

P405 Intestinal ultrasound measures are highly correlated with small bowel Lewis score among patients with active Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Small-bowel assessment is of prime importance among patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). While small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) evaluates the extent of mucosal inflammation, intestinal ultrasound (IUS) provides a complementary information with regards to transmural disease involvement. We aimed to examine the correlation between SBCE and IUS, among patients with active CD, as well as sensitivity to therapeutic response during follow-up. Methods Patients with active small-bowel CD, who have been started on biologics, were included. Patients were prospectively followed with fecal calprotectin (FC), SBCE and IUS at baseline and after 14 and 52 weeks. Lewis score (LS), Limberg score (LI) and terminal ileum bowel-wall thickness (TIBWT) were documented for each patient. Response to treatment was defined as a 25%-reduction compared to the baseline measure of FC, LS, LI and TIBWT, while FC&amp;lt;150μg/mg, LS&amp;lt;135, LI&amp;lt;2 and TIBWT&amp;lt;3 mm, were defined as biochemical, endoscopic and ultrasonographic remission, respectively (week 0→week 14/ week 14 →week 52). Baseline correlations were obtained using the Spearman's correlation. Comparison between correlations were assessed using the Fisher's Z-transformation. Fisher's exact-test was performed to evaluate the correlation between the examined response/remission outcomes. Results Seventy-one patients were included (median age: 26 (22-43) years, male-49%). The median time between SBCE and IUS procedures was 3 (0-25) days. Baseline LS was well correlated with both TIBWT (r=0.6, p&amp;lt;0.001) and LI (r=0.6, p&amp;lt;0.001). Ultrasonographic remission was significantly correlated with both biochemical remission (FC and TIBWT [p=0.012], FC and LI [p=0.024]) and endoscopic remission (LS and TIBWT [p=0.035], LS and LI [0.013]), [Figure 1]. The baseline correlation between FC and LS (r=0.490, p&amp;lt;0.001) was numerically but not significantly higher than FC and BWT (r=0.386, p=0.002) or FC and LI (r=0.224, p=0.080) [p=0.500 and p=0.110, respectively]. No significant correlation was observed between FC and LS /TIBWT/LI response to treatment (p=0.347 p=0.261, p=0.864, respectively), while there was a trend regarding TIBWT and LS response to treatment correlation (p=0.052). Conclusion IUS measures are highly correlated with SBCE LS among patients with active CD, and provide an accurate and reliable assessment of disease activity during follow-up. Therefore, IUS may serve as a feasible and noninvasive tool in the monitoring and management of patients with CD.

P458 Diagnostic accuracy of patency capsule and cross-sectional imaging for capsule endoscopy retention: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Although small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) has been widely used to evaluate small bowel lesions including Crohn’s disease, there is a risk of capsule retention that can cause obstructive symptoms potentially necessitating surgical treatment. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of patency capsule (PC) and cross-sectional imaging (CSI) for predicting capsule retention. Methods MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science, and the Cochrane library databases were searched for articles that invested the diagnostic accuracy of PC or CSI for predicting capsule retention up to August 15, 2023. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model. Considering that SBCE was generally not performed when capsule retention was suspected on PC, the false-negative rates of PC and CSI were separately analyzed and compared using a single-proportion meta-analysis based on random-effects modeling. Quality assessment of the selected studies was performed using the revised Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Results A total of 22 peer-reviewed articles, including 17 articles for PC (covering 2,234 patients) and 7 articles for CSI (covering 302 patients) were included in this systematic review. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for predicting capsule retention with CSI were 64% [95% confidence interval (CI), 31%–87%] and 85% [95% CI, 62%–95%], respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for predicting capsule retention with PC were 75% [95% CI, 43%–92%] and 94% [95% CI, 90%–96%], respectively (Figure 1, Table 1). Although there was no statistically significant difference in prediction accuracy between PC and CSI on the bivariate random-effects model (P=0.14), the pooled false-negative rate was significantly lower in the PC compared to CSI (2.5% [95% CI, 1.4%–4.7%] vs. 11.0% [95% CI, 5.2%–21.8%]; P=0.003) (Table 1). Conclusion Cross-sectional imaging showed good specificity, but showed moderate sensitivity in predicting capsule retention. In contrast, patency capsule showed good sensitivity and excellent specificity, with a significantly lower false-negative rate compared to cross-sectional imaging. Therefore, in patients with clinically suspicious small bowel stenosis, the patency capsule is a more reliable modality for predicting capsule retention.

P314 Serum levels of Leucin-Rich α2 Glycoprotein predicts endoscopic mucosal healing of Crohn's disease

Abstract Background It has been suggested that serum levels of Leucin-Rich α2 Glycoprotein (LRG) correlate with disease activity of Crohn’s disease (CD). Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) can be performed together with ileo-colonoscopy (ICS) at the same day to assess mucosal healing in patients with clinically quiescent CD. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness and a cut off value of LRG that indicate mucosal healing in patients with CD. Methods Clinically quiescent CD (CDAI&amp;lt;150) patients without perianal lesions received SBCE and ICS at the same day between July 2021 and August 2023 were included. Serum levels of CRP and LRG were measured in the time frame of median 23 days before or after the exam (IQR 14, 43). Endoscopic findings were evaluated by modified simple endoscopic score for CD (mSES-CD) composed of 3 variables (size of ulcers, proportion of ulcer surface and disease affected surface) of each 7 segments (jejunum, upper ileum, lower ileum, right colon, transvers colon, left colon and rectum). Mucosal healing was defined by the mSES-CD score of 0. Results Among 51 CD patients enrolled, 88.2% were male with the median age of 20 (IQR 22, 35) and the disease duration of 69 months (IQR 23, 35). History of small or large intestinal resection was found in 15 (29.4%) and 14 (27.4%) cases, respectively. The median CRP and LRG were 0.1 mg/dL (IQR 0.1, 0.4), and 12.3 μg/mL (IQR 8.8, 18.3), respectively. The median mSES-CD was 3 (0,6%), and 20 (39.2%) cases were score 0. There was a high correlation between LRG and CRP levels (p&amp;lt;0.0001, r=0.78), and the cut of value of LRG that indicates negative CRP (&amp;lt; 0.4 mg/dL) was 16.6 μg/mL; area under the curve (AUC) of ROC analysis 0.91, sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 84.8%. In addition, a significant correlation between LRG levels and mSES-CD was found (p&amp;lt; 0.0001, r= 0.65), while no correlation between CRP and mSES-CD (p=0.72, r= 0.27). The cut off value of LRG that indicates mucosal healing was 10.2 μg/mL (AUC 0.915, sensitivity 89.7%, specificity 85.7%) with positive predictive value of 92.9% and negative predictive value of 80.0%. Conclusion LRG can be a reasonable biomarker to monitor disease status of CD especially in clinically quiescent patients with small bowel CD. LRG values less than 10.2 μg/mL indicates endoscopic mucosal healing in patients with CD.

P977 Combined F18-FDG-PET-MRI-imaging can predict clinical remission in small bowel Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Diagnostics and follow-up of small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) can be difficult. Combined PET-MRI enterography (MRE) can be used to evaluate intestinal inflammation. Lack of standardized methods and diagnostic thresholds has limited its clinical use in diagnostics and monitoring of small bowel CD. There is no previous data on the use of PET-MRI in follow-up of small bowel CD. Methods 34 patients with suspected CD in small bowel were recruited from Turku University Hospital’s outpatient clinic. A static PET-MRE was obtained with [18F]-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) tracer. CD diagnosis was confirmed with small bowel capsule endoscopy. Patients diagnosed with CD were started with appropriate treatment chosen by clinicians. Endoscopic findings including histopathology, laboratory results (Hb, CRP, serum albumin (Alb) and fecal calprotectin (FC)) and medication data were collected. Patients diagnosed with CD (N=16) went through control PET-MRE median 105 days after initial imaging. Highest SUVmax (standardized uptake value) in small intestine was measured and MRE-images with diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were analyzed by an experienced abdominal radiologist and severity of inflammation was graded from 1-4. Hb, CRP, Alb and FC were measured from the patients at the time of imaging. Results Median SUVmax was significantly lower after three months of medical treatment (3.2 vs. 2.1) (p=0.016). FC was significantly lower at the time of control imaging (p=0.030) (median 725 ug/g vs. 141 ug/g). 10 patients had FC &amp;lt;250 ug/g at the time of control imaging. Using this as a cut- off for clinical response, ROC-curve showed AUC 0.73 for SUVmax and AUC 0.65 for MRE-grading. Sensitivity and specificity were highest at SUVmax 2.4 (83% and 80%). Conclusion Decreased SUVmax measured after starting CD medication seems to predict clinical remission and a cut-off level 2.4 could be used in diagnostics. Diagnostic yield was higher for SUVmax compared to MRE-grading. Here we have shown for the first time that PET-MRE can be used for disease activity monitoring in small bowel CD.

P469 Deep learning and minimally invasive endoscopy – panendoscopic detection of pleomorphic lesions

Abstract Background Capsule endoscopy is a minimally invasive exam capable of performing a panendoscopic evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless, capsule endoscopy is a time-consuming exam, revealing suboptimal diagnostic yield when considering the upper gastrointestinal tract. Convolutional neural network are models based on the human visual cortex architecture, suitable for image analysis. However, there is still an absence of studies about their role in capsule panendoscopy. Methods Our group developed a deep Learning model for panendoscopic automatic detection of pleomorphic lesions (namely vascular lesions, protuberant lesions, hematic residues, ulcers and erosions). In order to develop the convolutional neural network, 355 110 images (6 977 oesophageal, 12 918 gastric, 258 443 enteric, 76 772 colonic) from eight different capsule endoscopy and colon capsule endoscopy devices were divided in a training and validation dataset in a patient split design. The model’s output was compared to three CE experts’ classification. The model performance was evaluated by its sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the precision-recall curve. Results The panendoscopic convolutional neural network was composed by organ-specific neural networks. The binary oesophagus convolutional neural network had a diagnostic accuracy for pleomorphic lesions of 83.6%. The binary gastric network identified pleomorphic lesions with a 96.6% accuracy. The undenary small bowel convolutional neural network distinguished pleomorphic lesions with different potential with 97.6% accuracy. The trinary colonic model (detection and differentiation of normal mucosa, pleomorphic lesions and hematic residues) had 94.9% global accuracy. Conclusion Our group developed the first deep learning model for panendoscopic automatic detection of pleomorphic lesions in both small bowel and colon capsule endoscopy devices from multiple brands, solving a critical interoperability technological challenge. Deep learning-based tools may change the landscape of minimally invasive capsule panendoscopy.

P491 Clinical application of ICCE criteria for suspected Crohn’s disease undergoing small bowel capsule endoscopy

Abstract Background Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is the primary diagnostic modality for exploring the small bowel (SB) in patients with suspected Crohn’s disease (CD) and inconclusive ileocolonoscopy findings, provided there are no obstructive symptoms or known bowel strictures. In 2005, the International Conference on Capsule Endoscopy (ICCE) established preselection criteria for these patients (Figure 1). SBCE is indicated if one criterion from group A is met, along with any other from the remaining groups (B/C/D). The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ICCE criteria in unselected cases of suspected small bowel CD (SBCD) explored with SBCE. Methods An observational, single-center, retrospective study was conducted, including all SBCE performed in patients with suspected CD between January 2020 and August 2023. Demographic and clinical data, inflammatory markers, SBCE findings, confirmed CD diagnosis and indication to therapy were analyzed. Results A total of 46 patients were included (67.4% females, median age 43 years, IQR 32-60). SBCE identified lesions suggestive of CD based on Mow's criteria in 23.9% of patients (n=11). These findings led to a CD diagnosis in all cases, with subsequent initiation of immunomodulators or biologic therapy. In the study population, 35 (71.4%) patients had 2 ICCE criteria (A+B/C/D). The percentage of patients with ≥2 criteria did not differ significantly between those with and without CD (90.9% vs. 71.4%, p=0.18). However, overall ungrouped ICCE criteria showed a significant correlation with confirmed CD (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.03-2.36). The creation of a model using 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria significantly improved CD prediction accuracy (area under the ROC curve 0.77, sensitivity 91%, specificity 51.4%). Patients with 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria had a higher likelihood of having confirmed CD (90 vs 48%, p=0.02). Conclusion In our patient cohort, the existing ICCE criteria seem insufficient for effectively identifying patients with a higher probability of SBCD. Our findings suggest that adopting a cut-off of 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria would increase the diagnostic accuracy of SBCE for SBCD.

Automatic detection of small bowel lesions with different bleeding risks based on deep learning models.

Deep learning provides an efficient automatic image recognition method for small bowel (SB) capsule endoscopy (CE) that can assist physicians in diagnosis. However, the existing deep learning models present some unresolved challenges. To propose a novel and effective classification and detection model to automatically identify various SB lesions and their bleeding risks, and label the lesions accurately so as to enhance the diagnostic efficiency of physicians and the ability to identify high-risk bleeding groups. The proposed model represents a two-stage method that combined image classification with object detection. First, we utilized the improved ResNet-50 classification model to classify endoscopic images into SB lesion images, normal SB mucosa images, and invalid images. Then, the improved YOLO-V5 detection model was utilized to detect the type of lesion and its risk of bleeding, and the location of the lesion was marked. We constructed training and testing sets and compared model-assisted reading with physician reading. The accuracy of the model constructed in this study reached 98.96%, which was higher than the accuracy of other systems using only a single module. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the model-assisted reading detection of all images were 99.17%, 99.92%, and 99.86%, which were significantly higher than those of the endoscopists' diagnoses. The image processing time of the model was 48 ms/image, and the image processing time of the physicians was 0.40 ± 0.24 s/image (P < 0.001). The deep learning model of image classification combined with object detection exhibits a satisfactory diagnostic effect on a variety of SB lesions and their bleeding risks in CE images, which enhances the diagnostic efficiency of physicians and improves the ability of physicians to identify high-risk bleeding groups.

The Role of Capsule Endoscopy in the Diagnosis and Management of Small Bowel Tumors: A Narrative Review.

Small bowel tumors (SBT) are relatively rare, but have had a steadily increasing incidence in the last few decades. Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and device-assisted enteroscopy are the main endoscopic techniques for the study of the small bowel, the latter additionally providing sampling and therapeutic options, and hence acting complementary to SBCE in the diagnostic work-up. Although a single diagnostic modality is often insufficient in the setting of SBTs, SBCE is a fundamental tool to drive further management towards a definitive diagnosis. The aim of this paper is to provide a concise narrative review of the role of SBCE in the diagnosis and management of SBTs.