Revolutionizing upper gastrointestinal disease diagnosis: The transformative role of artificial intelligence in endoscopy.

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in gastroenterology, particularly in diagnosing upper gastrointestinal diseases such as Barrett's esophagus (BE), esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and esophagogastric varices. AI's capabilities in image analysis, classification, detection, and segmentation have significantly improved diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. For BE, AI models achieve high sensitivity and specificity in detecting early neoplastic changes and guiding targeted biopsies. In esophageal cancer, AI enhances early lesion detection, improving intervention success rates. For GERD, AI classifies disease severity based on the Los Angeles grading system and accurately segments lesions. Additionally, AI detects esophagogastric varices and predicts bleeding risks more effectively than traditional methods. Despite these advancements, challenges remain, including the need for high-quality data, multi-center validation, and ensuring AI model interpretability. Future research should address these issues and further integrate AI into clinical practice to optimize patient outcomes. This review highlights AI's transformative impact on upper gastrointestinal disease diagnosis, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize endoscopic practice and improve patient care.