Ashe Memorial Hospital general surgeon Dr. Charles Jones, pictured with operating room manager Michelle Carpenter, began using CAD EYE for colonoscopies in early November.Photo of female nurse with male surgeon holding a CAD Eye.
Ashe Memorial Hospital invests in new AI detection system for endoscopic imaging
JEFFERSON, N.C. — Ashe Memorial Hospital recently invested in the Fujifilm CAD EYE® system, a new artificial intelligence-powered technology for polyp detection during colonoscopy procedures.
CAD EYE is designed to improve polyp detection during colonoscopy by alerting endoscopists to suspected polyps throughout the exam, including flat lesions and those present at the peripheral edges of endoscopic view. Ashe Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in North Carolina to have invested in this state-of-the-art technology.
“We are excited to be able to bring this cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to Ashe Memorial Hospital and continue to further enhance our level of surgical care,” said Brian Yates, chief executive officer for Ashe Memorial Hospital. “This technology is designed to support the early detection of precancerous lesions, which can result in early intervention and improved patient outcomes.”
During a colonoscopy, the CAD EYE will sound an alert if a suspicious polyp is detected, and a bracketed box will display around the area. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men and women combined in the United States. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) studies show that the CAD EYE can detect polyps up to 17 percent higher than conventional colonoscopies.
“This new technology comes with an artificial intelligence upgrade that helps the endoscopist potentially find more polyps, and that’s what we do colonoscopies for,” Dr. Charles Jones, general surgeon for Ashe Memorial Hospital, said. “If we can detect polyps early on then we can decrease the chance of a patient developing colon cancer.”
The CAD EYE received FDA approval in March 2024. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Jones began looking into purchasing the equipment for the hospital. Ashe Memorial Hospital’s Board of Trustees approved the purchase in October 2024, and Dr. Jones began using the CAD EYE for colonoscopies in early November. On average, Dr. Jones performs 15-20 endoscopies per week. In 2023, Dr. Jones performed 1,103 colonoscopy procedures.
“CAD EYE reflects Fujifilm’s commitment to innovation and represents a transformative advancement in endoscopic technology,” says Tai Fujita, general manager, endoscopy, FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation. “With the implementation of CAD EYE at Ashe Memorial, we are proud to support their mission to enhance diagnostic capabilities and ultimately improve the health and well-being of the Ashe County community.”
“Our Board of Trustees Committee has been very receptive to bringing new technology to the community,” Dr. Jones said. “We do a lot of firsts here. Our hospital has a very advanced endoscopy suite, and that’s what our patients deserve.”
In addition to CAD EYE, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s endoscopy suite is the first in our region to offer the LINX procedure, a non-invasive surgical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that uses a magnetic band for the esophagus. The suite also is equipped with Bravo Monitoring for GERD to help treat reflux symptoms. Dr. Jones also uses carbon dioxide instead of medical air, which the bowel is better able to absorb and can result in less cramping and pain post endoscopy, and PillCam, a capsule endoscopy for detecting small bowel lesions, Crohn’s in the small bowel and other abnormalities.
For more information on Ashe Memorial Hospital’s Surgical Services Department, please call 336-846-7101 or visit ashememorial.org.
About Ashe Memorial Hospital
For more than 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s dedicated team of board certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.
Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.
About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation is a comprehensive healthcare company that has an extensive range of technology and expertise in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Fujifilm’s innovative portfolio includes solutions spanning diagnostic imaging, enterprise imaging, endoscopic imaging, surgical imaging, and in-vitro diagnostics. The company is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit healthcaresolutions-us.fujifilm.com.
FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver innovative products and services across the globe through the four key business segments of healthcare, electronics, business innovation, and imaging with over 70,000 employees. Guided and united by our Group Purpose of “giving our world more smiles,” we address social challenges and create a positive impact on society through our products, services, and business operations. Under its medium-term management plan, VISION2030, which ends in FY2030, we aspire to continue our evolution into a company that creates value and smiles for various stakeholders as a collection of global leading businesses and achieve a global revenue of 4 trillion yen (29 billion USD at an exchange rate of 140 JPY/USD). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com. For further details about our commitment to sustainability and Fujifilm’s Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here.
