Published online Oct 14, 2020. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i38.5784
Peer-review started: May 27, 2020
First decision: July 29, 2020
Revised: August 12, 2020
Accepted: September 12, 2020
Article in press: September 12, 2020
Published online: October 14, 2020
The past decade has seen significant advances in endoscopic imaging and optical enhancements to aid early diagnosis. There is still a treatment gap due to the underdiagnosis of lesions of the oesophagus. Computer aided diagnosis may play an important role in the coming years in providing an adjunct to endoscopists in the early detection and diagnosis of early oesophageal cancers, therefore curative endoscopic therapy can be offered. Research in this area of artificial intelligence is expanding and the future looks promising. In this review article we will review current advances in artificial intelligence in the oesophagus and future directions for development.
Core Tip: Computer aided diagnosis of oesophageal pathology may potentially be an adjunct for the endoscopist which will improve the detection of early neoplasia in Barrett’s oesophagus and early squamous neoplasia such that curative endoscopic therapy can be offered. There are significant miss rates of oesophageal cancers despite advances in endoscopic imaging modalities and an artificial intelligence (AI) tool will off-set human factors associated with some miss rates. To fulfil the potential of this exciting area of AI certain criteria need to be met which we will expand upon. Once implemented this will have a significant impact on this field of endoscopy.