Will AI Find the Right Polyps? Decoding NICE Guidance on Colonoscopy Tools

NICE recently published guidance on 10 artificial intelligence technologies designed to detect or characterise colorectal polyps. While 6 tools have been conditionally recommended for NHS use, the economic and clinical real-world impact remains uncertain. We unpack what this means for gastroenterologists, the 4-year evidence generation plan, and why finding more polyps does not automatically equal preventing more cancer.

Key points

• NICE recommends 6 AI technologies for use in the NHS during a 4 years evidence generation period for people without diagnosed IBD or Lynch syndrome.
• Clinical evidence shows AI improves the adenoma detection rate overall, but mostly for smaller polyps (less than 5 mm) rather than advanced adenomas.
• The cost-effectiveness of these tools is highly uncertain, hovering at a 50% probability at NICE's willingness-to-pay range of £20,000 to £30,000.
• More research is required for AI tools that characterise polyps and for using AI in patients with inflammatory bowel disease or Lynch syndrome.
• Increased detection of benign polyps could lead to uncaptured downstream costs, including more histology testing and unnecessary surveillance colonoscopies.

Source: Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help detect or characterise colorectal polyps - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

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This episode is an AI-generated conversation summarising a public document; the hosts' voices are synthetic. It is for information only and is not medical advice. Always refer to the original source.

Full transcript: https://ai-in-medicine-podcast.vercel.app/episodes/will-ai-find-the-right-polyps-decoding-nice-guidance-on-colonoscopy-to-619f4d