Polyp Matching in Colon Capsule Endoscopy: Pioneering CCE-Colonoscopy Integration Towards an AI-Driven Future

Abstract

Background: Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is becoming more widely available across Europe, but its uptake is slow due to the need for follow-up colonoscopy for therapeutic procedures and biopsies, which impacts its cost-effectiveness. One of the major factors driving the conversion to colonoscopy is the detection of excess polyps in CCE that cannot be matched during subsequent colonoscopy. The capsule’s rocking motion, which can lead to duplicate reporting of the same polyp when viewed from different angles, is likely a key contributor. Objectives: This review aims to explore the types of polyp matching reported in the literature, assess matching techniques and matching accuracy, and evaluate the development of machine learning models to improve polyp matching in CCE and subsequent colonoscopy. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Due to the scarcity of research in this area, the search encompassed clinical trials, observational studies, reviews, case series, and editorial letters. Three directly related studies were included, and ten indirectly related studies were included for review. Results: Polyp matching in colon capsule endoscopy still needs to be developed, with only one study focused on creating criteria to match polyps within the same CCE video. Another study established that experienced CCE readers have greater accuracy, reducing interobserver variability. A machine learning algorithm was developed in one study to match polyps between initial CCE and subsequent colonoscopy. Only around 50% of polyps were successfully matched, requiring further optimisation. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms advance in CCE polyp detection, the risk of duplicate reporting may increase when clinicians are presented with polyp images or timestamps, potentially complicating the transition to AI-assisted CCE reading in the future. Conclusions: Polyp matching in CCE is a developing field with considerable challenges, especially in matching polyps within the same video. Although AI shows potential for decent accuracy, more research is needed to refine these techniques and make CCE a more reliable, non-invasive alternative to complement conventional colonoscopy for lower GI investigations.