Olympus Corporation recently conducted a virtual seminar on Endoscopic AI Diagnosis Education in India. With the aim to make people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling as a global MedTech firm, the company has established an AI diagnostic support system at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) based in Hyderabad and also initiated a research and training project for the doctors and specialists at the major medical institution. Olympus aims to assist in the development of physicians and promote the use of endoscopic diagnostics.

There is a severe shortage of doctors who can conduct precision diagnostics with endoscopes, which are essential for early detection and treatment of cancer. Through the project, prominent doctors have trained AIG doctors to be equipped with the techniques needed to detect diseases and differential diagnosis via colonoscope, as well as prepared them to pass on the knowledge and instruct the next generation of endoscopists in India.

Olympus Corporation has been conducting the endoscopic education since October 2020 with support from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to train doctors in India and neighbouring countries and to contribute to the popularisation and development of endoscope diagnostics using the latest AI technology.

Present at the seminar, Dr Goutham Reddy Katukuri, Consultant – Gastroenterology of AIG Hospitals said, “Visual diagnosis of colorectal polyps may improve the cost-effectiveness of colonoscopy and reduce complications of polypectomy. A more precise diagnosis can be expected in the coloscopic inspection using AI diagnostic support system, and the difference in the diagnosis among observers may be corrected.”

Speaking about this co-operation, Satoshi Hemmi, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan,  commented, “The aim is to contribute to the introduction and dissemination of Japan’s endoscopic AI diagnostic support system to India and neighbouring countries in response to the social issue of increasing cancer prevalence in India.”