Assessment of an electronic learning system for colon capsule endoscopy: a pilot study

Training for colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) procedures is currently performed as a lecture and hands-on seminar. The aims of this pilot study were to assess the utility of an electronic learning system for CCE (ELCCE) designed for the Japanese Association for Capsule Endoscopy using an objective scoring engine, and to evaluate the efficacy of ELCCE on the acquisition of CCE reading competence.

ELCCE is an Internet-based learning system with the following steps: step 1, introduction; step 2, CCE reading competence assessment test (CCAT), which evaluates the competence of CCE reading prior to training; step 3, learning reading theory; step 4, training with guidance; step 5, training without guidance; step 6, final assessment; and step 7, the same as step 2. The CCAT, step 5 and step 6 were scored automatically according to: lesion detection, diagnosis (location, size, shape of lesion), management recommendations, and quality of view. Ten trainee endoscopists were initially recruited (cohort 1), followed by a validating cohort of 11 trainee endoscopists (cohort 2).

All but one participant finished ELCCE training within 7 weeks. In step 6, accuracy ranged from 53 to 98 % and was not impacted by step 2 pretest scores. The average CCAT scores significantly increased between step 2 pretest and step 7 in both cohorts, from 42 ± 18 % to 79 ± 15 % in cohort 1 (p = 0.0004), and from 52 ± 15 % to 79 ± 14 % in cohort 2 (p = 0.0003).

ELCCE is useful and effective for improving CCE reading competence.