Colorectal cancer screenings get AI boost at Allina Health Cambridge Medical Center

CAMBRIDGE, Minn. (Mar. 17, 2025) — Allina Health Cambridge Medical Center has added a high-tech tool to screen for and detect colorectal cancer early. GI Genius essentially serves as an extra set of eyes during colonoscopies by using artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect colorectal polyps, often the precursor to colorectal cancer.

 “It’s an assistant in real time that really does double check our work,” said Stanely Dick, MD, who performs an average of 1,100 colonoscopies a year at Cambridge Medical Center. “I have already seen it detect several small polyps that can be difficult to see with the naked eye.”

A colonoscopy with GI Genius begins like any other; the clinician uses a tube-like device to insert a camera in the rectum that provides a look inside the colon. Once everything is in place, the team engages GI Genius. While the doctor looks at the monitor to search for polyps, GI Genius compares what is on the screen to 13 million images of polyps stored in the device. A green box lights up on the screen when GI Genius detects a potential polyp, giving the doctor a chance to confirm or dismiss the possible discovery.

“I check to see if there is actually a polyp there,” added Dr. Dick. “If I don’t find anything, I move on. This is an easy device to work with, and it helps us pinpoint as many polyps as possible.”

Colorectal cancer, which develops in the colon or rectum, is the third most common cancer in the world. It is also the most preventable and treatable, if caught early. As the number of cases diagnosed in people younger than 55 increases, the age for screenings has decreased. The recommended age is now 45 years old.

The Medtronic-produced GI Genius does not collect data from patients as they undergo colonoscopies. “This device increases our detection rate, and we know that detection of polyps is correlated with saving lives,” added Dr. Dick.

“The advent of AI tools in broader society has been exciting, and we are just scratching the surface with respect to implications on health care, added Egal Gorse, MD, a medical oncologist with Allina Health Cancer Institute. “Medical oncology is a rapidly evolving field, and we are always looking for an edge. Access to tools with the potential to augment our practice is a welcome addition.”