A study led by University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust to investigate whether Artificial Intelligence could lead to better prevention and earlier diagnosis of bowel cancer is today being opened to patients.

The Capsule Endoscopy delivery at SCale through enhanced AI anaLysis (CESCAIL) trial is a joint initiative between UHCW, Corporate Health International (CHI) and the University of Barcelona that may also help detect a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases.

As part of an NHS England pilot, UHCW and 42 other NHS trusts will be inviting eligible patients to take part.

CHI provide home-based Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) using a swallowable camera the size of a large vitamin pill. The pill takes pictures of the gastrointestinal system which can be analysed to detect potential signs of cancer or other abnormalities.

Accurately analysing images is a time consuming workload for clinicians that could be better spent with patients. As a result, scientists from the University of Barcelona developed machine learning algorithms that significantly reduce that time.

UHCW Professor of Gastroenterology, Ramesh Arasaradnam OBE, who is leading the study, said “We are pleased to have received support from the NIHR (National Institute of Health Research) to undertake CESCAIL study.

“Indications are that the technology can save clinicians up to 80 per cent of the time they would usually spend in reviewing and reporting video images.”

In this project, CHI and UHCW will be confirming the performance of the current AI system through a clinical trial comparing video analysis supported by AI with the current routine analysis.

“AI promises big leaps in productivity for our expert readers and our customers without sacrificing any quality,” said Dr Hagen Wenzek, co-founder of CHI.

Professor Santi Segui, from the University of Barcelona, added: “We’ve built an accurate model able to analyse a complete capsule video in few minutes.

“Deep Learning, a machine learning model inspired by the human brain, has the ability to understand and find complex image patterns.”

Once validated, the AI system can be fully certified software as a medical device and experts will use the tool for efficient and reliable video analysis.

“By bringing bring together renowned experts from industry, academia and the NHS, the CESCAIL project will build upon existing trials with the aim of transforming endoscopy services,” said Adrian Smith, Head of Digital Transformation at NHS Arden & GEM CSU.

NHS Trusts interested in participating in the study as a trial site should contact Katie Tompkins at katie.tompkins@uhcw.nhs.uk for further details.