Autonomous In-Vivo Polyp Detection via Elliptical Form Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual screening for polyps in body lumens, such as the colon, is inefficient and prone to missed detections due to the tediousness of reviewing lengthy image streams and the unpleasantness of cleansing preparation and insufflation, which can deter patients from undergoing procedures.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous in-vivo imaging system captures image frames and uses a polyp detector to automatically identify and classify elliptical forms based on parameters like shape, size, and color, assigning scores to select candidate frames for display to health professionals, thereby reducing user intervention and eliminating the need for cleansing preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual screening of image frames is performed to detect polyps, then detection accuracy may be improved, but time consumption and operator fatigue increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs an autonomous imaging device that automatically captures, processes, and analyzes images throughout the GI tract without requiring continuous manual intervention. The device performs self-diagnosis by detecting polyps through automated image analysis algorithms, eliminating the need for operators to manually review every frame while maintaining high detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual review process with automated computer-based image analysis. The system uses algorithms to automatically detect, classify, and score potential polyps in captured images, substituting human operators with computational systems that can process images rapidly without fatigue or time constraints.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If cleansing preparation and insufflation are performed to improve polyp visibility, then detection capability may be enhanced, but patient comfort deteriorates and procedure acceptance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the detection parameters by using advanced image processing algorithms that can identify polyps in their natural state without requiring the GI tract to be empty or inflated. The automated detection system adjusts its sensitivity and classification thresholds to accurately detect polyps regardless of varying intestinal conditions, eliminating the need for extreme preparation measures.
3Reliability
If the entire GI tract is imaged to ensure complete coverage, then screening completeness is improved, but the length of image streams increases making manual review impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the most relevant information from the complete GI tract imaging by using automated algorithms to identify and flag potential polyps. Instead of presenting the entire lengthy image stream for review, the system extracts and presents only candidate images with detected features, significantly reducing the review burden while maintaining complete coverage of the GI tract.
Data Source
AI summary
An in-vivo imaging system and method to screen for colorectal polyps in the GI tract may include an in-vivo imaging device for capturing a stream of image frames in a GI tract, a polyp detector for detecting and/or identifying one or more image frames from the stream of image streams that may show colorectal polyps, and a graphical user interface (GUI) to display image frames detected.