Niwen Kong

All Publications

• Impact of artificial intelligence-assisted colonoscopy on gastroenterology fellow performance: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Gastrointestinal endoscopy Chang, P. W., Nguyen, D. D., Kong, N., Wang, D., Wang, S., Ong, J., Amini, M. M., Sharma, N., Bui, A., Bakr, O., Bruce, D., Lee, H., Dodge, J. L., Sahakian, A. B., Buxbaum, J. L. 2025

  Abstract

  The substantial miss rate during screening and surveillance colonoscopy, particularly for the right side, underscores the need to improve training. The role of artificial intelligence (AI) assisted colonoscopy in the training environment has not been thoroughly defined. This study explores the impact of artificial intelligence on colonoscopy performed by trainees in a Gastroenterology (GI) fellowship program.Between March and October 2023, we randomly assigned GI fellows to artificial intelligence (AI) enhanced versus conventional colonoscopy (CC) rooms daily. Consecutive colonoscopies performed by fellows were included unless there were attending interventions, inadequate bowel preparation or incomplete colonoscopy. The primary endpoint was adenoma detection rate (ADR) defined as the proportion of colonoscopies with one or more adenomas detected. Additional outcomes included adenoma detection on the right side (RADR) and left side (LADR), the polyp detection rate (PDR), procedure (colonoscope insertion to withdrawal) and withdrawal (cecum to withdrawal) times. Mean ADR differences for the AI versus CC procedures were estimated utilizing generalized linear models.A total of 1,045 colonoscopies were performed by 16 fellows. Overall ADR was similar for AI (40.5±3.9%) vs. CC (35.0±3.6%); mean difference 5.5% (95% CI: -4.3 to 15.3%). The right sided ADR was higher in AI (24.1%) versus CC (16.5%); mean difference: 7.6% (95% CI: 1.7 to 13.5%). Among 130 screening colonoscopies, ADR for AI was 49.1% vs 26.7% for CC; mean difference: 22.3% (95% CI: -2.7 to 47.4%) while RADR was higher for AI (AI: 35.1% vs CC: 13.7%); mean difference: 21.0% (95% CI: 7.6% to 35.2%). This was most pronounced for first and second year fellows. There was no difference in procedural or withdrawal time with the addition of AI.This pragmatic randomized controlled trial demonstrates that AI assisted colonoscopy improves RADR for gastroenterology trainees. Overall ADR was not significantly different between groups. We propose a use case via AI assisted colonoscopy for trainees guiding improvement of adenoma detection in the right colon and standardizing a critically needed colorectal cancer screening quality metric.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.gie.2025.09.045

  View details for PubMedID 41022225

• The Neuroimmune Axis in Gastrointestinal Disorders - An Underrecognized Problem. Current gastroenterology reports Pace, L. A., Kong, N., Itani, M. I., Hemp, J. 2025; 27 (1): 28

  Abstract

  We present an introduction to the neuroimmune axis with a focus on the gastrointestinal system, its role in numerous chronic multisystem disorders, and emerging tools and therapies to diagnose and treat these conditions.There have recently been tremendous breakthroughs in our understanding of how the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, as well as the extracellular matrix and microbiota, interact within the gastrointestinal system to modulate health and disease.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s11894-025-00973-9

  View details for PubMedID 40232527

  View details for PubMedCentralID 5551410