Clinical Efficacy of Capsule Endoscopy Validated by Global Experts at CEGS: Innovations, Applications, and Future Outlook
Since its debut, capsule endoscopy has long attracted significant attention. What is its clinical efficacy? What is the scope of its clinical applications? How does it impact the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases? Compared with existing products on the market, what are its advantages and distinctive features?
On November 20, the 4th Global Summit on Capsule Endoscopy (CEGS) was held in Chongqing, China.At the forum venue,From Domestic and International GastroenterologyofTop experts and hundreds of thousands ofMedicineExperts and Scholars，Participants jointly explored technological innovations and industry transformations in capsule endoscopy. Meanwhile, with the theme of “Clinical Evidence,” the forum demonstrated the true clinical value of capsule endoscopy through clinical data.。
According to the introduction, this summit was jointly hosted by the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO), the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the National Capsule Endoscopy Research Center, and the National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Microsystem Medical Devices; co-organized by Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd.; and guided by the Chongqing Association for Science and Technology. The summit was held in a hybrid format combining online and offline participation, with live streaming platforms broadcasting simultaneously to 108 countries worldwide. Fabian EMURA, President of the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO), and Professor Zhang Shutian, President of the Gastroenterology Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, delivered opening remarks.
Wang Jinshan, Chairman of Chongqing Jinshan Science&Technology(Group)Co.,Ltd, stated in his opening remarks: “Each edition of the Global Summit on Capsule Endoscopy has driven the technological revolution and market transformation in capsule endoscopy.For example, the Second High-Level Forum held in 2019 explored the future development direction of capsule endoscopy and clarified the trend toward image clarification. The following year, Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. developed and launched high-definition capsule endoscopes: the NCG100 Magnetically Controlled Gastric Capsule, the SC100 High-Definition Small Bowel Capsule, and the NC100 Magnetically Controlled Gastrointestinal Integrated Capsule Endoscope. Compared with previous products, these high-definition capsule endoscopes offer clearer images, higher frame rates, and wider fields of view, thereby enhancing diagnostic efficiency.
“At the Third Summit Forum in 2020, global experts jointly proposed development directions such as enhancing AI capabilities, improving remote management functions, and enabling intelligent AI-based image interpretation. In response, Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. developed and launched the world’s first fully automated navigable capsule robot, RC100, in 2021. The market launch of RC100 marked the official entry of capsule endoscopy technology into the era of intelligent robotics. To date, RC100 has obtained CE certification from the European Union and NMPA approval in China.”
So, what surprises will this year’s Global Summit on Capsule Endoscopy bring? What features will future capsule endoscopes have? How will the application scenarios for capsule endoscopy change?
In 2021, the capsule endoscopy industry achieved many gratifying results.
In terms of new technologies, innovative companies are combining artificial intelligence with automation in capsule endoscopy, enabling fully automated intelligent examinations.. For example, the fully automated navigational capsule robot RC100, launched by Jinshan Technology, leverages automation and AI technologies to enable automated and intelligent examinations. Additionally, integrated with information technology and equipped with a 5G module, the RC100 allows for real-time remote guidance of gastric examinations under 5G connectivity, thereby achieving a completely contactless examination process.
The results of the RC100 multicenter clinical study published in The Lancet show that:The consistency between gastric examinations performed by the fully automated capsule robot RC100 and conventional gastroscopy exceeds 97%.。
Wang Jinshan, Chairman of Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd., stated: “The RC100 enables automated operation, freeing physicians’ hands. Equipped with high-definition imaging and an AI-assisted diagnostic system, the RC100 enhances diagnostic accuracy, reduces missed diagnosis rates, and saves physicians’ time. Furthermore, its remote guidance and fully contactless examination capabilities significantly lower the risk of infection among healthcare workers, providing valuable support in the fight against the epidemic.”
In fact, capsule endoscopy is designed for single-patient, single-use and is disposable after use; whereas traditional endoscopes are reused across multiple patients. Despite sterilization protocols, the difficulty of achieving thorough disinfection still poses a risk of cross-infection. For instance, in the annual “Top 10 Health Technology Hazards” report published by the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) in the United States, cross-infections associated with traditional endoscopes have consistently appeared on the list, ranking first in 2016 and second in both 2017 and 2018. Therefore, the use of capsule endoscopes such as the RC100, which enable remote guidance and allow examinations to be completed without any physical contact, not only reduces the risk of infection for healthcare workers but also prevents cross-infection among patients.
On the other hand, applying 5G technology to capsule endoscopy helps enrich medical resources and promote the decentralization of healthcare services.Professor Zhao Qiu from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University stated, “The fully automated capsule robot RC100, integrated with 5G technology, has enabled remote operation and cross-regional diagnostics in pandemic scenarios. With the combination of capsule endoscopy and 5G technology, patients can receive consultations from clinical experts thousands of miles away while remaining at primary healthcare institutions. This will significantly enhance the capabilities of primary healthcare institutions in China and greatly facilitate the decentralization and optimization of medical resources.”
In terms of intelligence, artificial intelligence technology has achieved breakthrough progress in the application of capsule endoscopy.. For example, Professor Xiao Yufeng from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University compared the traditional film-reading mode with the AI-assisted film-reading mode and concluded that:AtLesionDiagnostic Detection Rate andDoctorImage ReviewEfficiency, AI-assisted image interpretation outperforms traditional methods.。
Meanwhile, the AI-assisted diagnostic system for capsule endoscopy has also made significant progress in improving the accuracy of disease diagnosis. Professor Yang Shiming, Chairman of the Gastroenterology Branch of the Chongqing Medical Association and Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, stated: “The AI-assisted diagnostic system offers significant advantages in automatically identifying lesions and filtering out redundant images. For example,”The AI-powered image interpretation system paired with RC100 reduces reading time to 5 minutes, significantly alleviating the workload of radiologists.。”
In terms of application, capsule endoscopy is currently used not only for health checkups and disease screening but also in emergency care, bedside examinations, and the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.It can be said that the application of capsule endoscopy has expanded from disease screening to disease diagnosis. For example, Professor Luo Xiaobei from Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University shared, “A prospective study on acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding showed that capsule endoscopy has high sensitivity in identifying upper gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency settings and is well tolerated. Meanwhile, gastroenterologists and emergency physicians demonstrated good consistency in image interpretation and diagnosis after short-term training.”
To date, capsule endoscopy has been utilized in the Emergency Internal Medicine Department, Emergency Resuscitation Room, Cardiovascular Care Unit (CCU) of the Cardiology Department, Critical Care Division of the Gastroenterology Department, Pediatric Ward, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Infectious Disease ICU, and Pediatric Laminar Flow Ward at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University.。
Wang Jinshan, Chairman of Chongqing Jinshan Science&Technology(Group)Co.,Ltd, stated, “In the future, Jinshan Technology will continue to enhance the functionalities of its capsule robots and conduct R&D focused on improving display clarity and enabling therapeutic capabilities, thereby providing patients with more convenient and efficient diagnosis and treatment, and advancing capsule endoscopy technology to a new level.”
In terms of enriching the functionalities of capsule endoscopy robots, existing capsule endoscopes are used solely for diagnosis and screening. The integration of supporting micro-instruments, such as micro-biopsy and micro-cutting devices, would help expand the role of capsule endoscopy from screening and diagnosis to therapeutic interventions.
In terms of improving image clarity, globally leading capsule endoscopes, such as Jinshan Technology’s RC100, can achieve high-definition resolution, although there is still room for improvement. Sufficiently high clarity can assist physicians in making precise diagnoses and treatments. Specifically, physicians can use capsule endoscopy preoperatively to identify and localize target lesion areas, enabling precise resection or treatment of the lesions during surgery. This approach minimizes surgical trauma, reduces intraoperative complications such as bleeding, and enhances the precision of surgical interventions.
In terms of enhancing intelligence levels, globally leading AI-assisted diagnostic systems for capsule endoscopy, such as the intelligent image review system paired with the RC100, have reduced image review time to just 5 minutes. In the future, AI-assisted diagnostic systems for capsule endoscopy will continue to shorten image review time and improve diagnostic accuracy.
In terms of indications, existing capsule endoscopy is primarily applied to the screening and diagnosis of conditions such as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, celiac disease, hereditary polyposis syndromes, Crohn’s disease, small bowel tumors, and intestinal parasitic diseases. In the future, with improvements in frame rate, image clarity, and functional capabilities, the range of indications for capsule endoscopy will continue to expand. Examples include the screening and diagnosis of esophageal diseases, therapeutic interventions for gastrointestinal disorders, and preoperative planning for digestive tract surgeries.
Overall, capsule endoscopy has continued to make new advances in recent years and is being increasingly widely applied in clinical practice. In the future, capsule endoscopy will develop toward the goal of “one capsule solving gastrointestinal diseases.”