Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Northwestern Medicine/Feinberg School of Medicine
Center for Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics in Gastroenterology

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Northwestern Medicine/Feinberg School of Medicine Center for Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics in Gastroenterology The Center for Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics in Gastroenterology (AIM-GI) is a first of its kind program developed in a division of Gastroenterology.  Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have the potential to vastly improve our ability to accurately predict, diagnose and treat our patients living with digestive diseases.  Through collaboration with engineers at the McCormick School of Engineering and physician scientists at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, our team has been incorporating mathematical modeling and advanced programming to study the mechanisms that lead to poor gastrointestinal function.  This work led to the development of a more formalized center that focuses on three main initiatives. Development of virtual organs which can be used to study the effects of surgery and medications; Development of new hybrid diagnostic tools using AI and machine learning to enhance diagnosis; Using machine learning and neutral networks to predict disease outcome. Although this is a new program, we have already had success developing an NIH funded Center of Research Expertise (CORE) and we have also developed new AI prototypes that can improve diagnostic accuracy and reliability of motility tests.  This work is supported by the generosity of the Digestive Health Foundation and these funds help provide the computational power and expertise required to continue to develop these innovative tools.  Our goal is to continue invent and develop new approaches and our partnership with the Digestive Disease Foundation will continue to allow us to grow and evolve this...
DHF BioRepository

DHF BioRepository

Introducing a groundbreaking research technology, the The Digestive Health Foundation became a founding supporter in 2017 of a powerful new resource for digestive health medical research: The Digestive Health Foundation BioRepository.  As one of only a few GI biorepositories of its kind in the world, the DHF BioRepository stores, organizes, and makes accessible (digitally, in real time) blood and tissue samples from patients and family members diagnosed with one or more of the digestive disorders treated at the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center.  Digestive disease research using the DHF BioRepository will leverage the latest advances in information technology with cutting-edge biologic and molecular research techniques to better understand gastrointestinal diseases and to help develop better treatment options for patients. Across GI sub-specialties, from liver and pancreatic cancers, esophageal diseases/swallowing disorders, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis), GERD, IBS, bariatric surgery, nutritional issues, and many more, the extensive and growing patient network at Northwestern Medicine provides a diverse and valuable resource of participants.  After a patient chooses to participate, Northwestern Medicine directly links the patient’s anonymized electronic medical record, physiologic diagnostic test results, imaging results, and patient-directed quality of life indicators to a tissue bank that will include: samples obtained during endoscopy (biopsies), blood, urine, and stool.  The DHF BioRepository’s depth of capacity will enable physician scientists around the world to pursue large scale research studies into the mechanisms of digestive diseases.  Discoveries about the natural history and progression of digestive disease is providing the insight necessary to develop new diagnostic tools, better treatments, and eventual cures for digestive disease patients and future generations. — The Digestive Health...

Developing a Standardized Training System for Interpreting Esophageal Manometry Exam

Principal investigator:  Rena Yadlapati, MD Every physician strives for and every patient expects an accurate diagnosis—no matter what the health issue. Advancements in imaging and other technologies continue to enhance diagnostic capabilities for a range of diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders. But even the most sophisticated diagnostic tools can yield erroneous results in untrained and/or inexperienced hands. In the field of esophageal disorders, high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) is the gold standard for diagnosing certain disorders of the esophagus, including difficulty swallowing. The precision of HREM allows gastroenterologists to track esophageal motility or movement patterns to pinpoint functional problems of this essential digestive organ. While HREM provides invaluable information, the skill and knowledge of the GI specialists using this advanced technology varies widely across the country. From disparities in performance to interpretation of HREM data, the potential for inaccurate diagnosis that adversely impact patient care and quality of life is—unacceptably—too high. Already researchers at Northwestern Medicine have designed a web-based training program and conducted a pilot study: They observed learning curves for HREM among 20 gastroenterology trainees nationwide. Supported by a grant from the Digestive Health Foundation, the investigators led by Rena Yadlapati, MD, will now build on the success of their initial work. They plan to apply their methodology to a larger group of physicians (residents and faculty) with minimal experience with HREM to validate the existing data and determine key competency benchmarks. Dr. Yadlapati’s team will work with the Instructional Design & Development group at Northwestern University to create interactive training modules. They will then integrate interactive educational video and electronic handbooks, among other tools, into their training system....