Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH: Better Detection on Colonoscopies

Detecting polyps on colonoscopies is crucial, particularly as we are decreasing the age of recommended screenings in recent years.

And while colonoscopies have value on their own, utilizing new technology could be beneficial in enhancing the accuracy.

In a late-breaking abstract presented during 2022 Digestive Disease Week Annual Meeting in San Diego, a team of investigators used a real-time computer-aided polyp detection device called SKOUT in an effort to detect additional polyps in colonoscopies.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, Robert M. and Mary H. Glickman Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine , reviewed the results using SKOUT at 5 academic and community centers across the US.

In the 1423 patient study, 682 of which were subject to SKOUT, the investigators found the software system was non-inferior to standard colonoscopy in a decrease of THR (SKOUT = 67.4%, standard = 71.6%, P <.001, NI margin=14%).

The results were similar for both the screening and surveillance arm.

Possibly most importantly, an increase in polyp detection per colonoscopy was seen in the proximal colon (SKOUT = .99, Standard = .84; P <.001) and among polyps 5-9mm in size (SKOUT = 0.68, Standard = 0.53).