Artificial Intelligence Detects Polyps at the Colón Hospital.
Hospital Manuel Amador Guerrero in the province of Colón, Panama, has officially incorporated an artificial intelligence (AI) module to assist medical specialists in detecting polyps in real time during colonoscopies. This milestone makes Panama the fourth country to adopt this equipment, and the Hospital Manuel Amador Guerrero is currently the only facility within Panama’s public health system to feature this advanced technology. This AI technology seeks to improve early diagnosis and contribute to the prevention of colon cancer.
The technology automatically scans the visual feed frame-by-frame while the colonoscope passes through the colon. By using visual and audible alerts, it notifies the doctor when a suspicious lesion is identified and the doctor is able to inspect the area in detail. When the system recognizes a potential lesion, it instantly places a green box on the monitor and emits an acoustic signal to alert the physician.
Dr. Alberto Morán, a coloproctologist at the hospital, explained that this tool is especially useful when the polyps are located in difficult to see zones, such as the folds and curves of the colon. Identifying and removing these precancerous polyps early prevents them from developing into malignant tumors over time. Morán highlighted that the equipment also allows for the characterization of these formations and guides the medical decision regarding the need to take samples, which could avoid biopsies when they are not necessary. Computer-aided detection tools are shown in global studies to increase pre cancerous polyp detection rates by roughly 14% or more.
Panama is the only the fourth country to have this technology and Manuel Amador Guerrero Hospital is the only center that currently has it within the public health system.
