Application prospects of phased-array computed tomography in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive system diseases: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Phased-array computed tomography (PACT), as a revolutionary imaging technology, replaces mechanical rotation with electronic scanning to achieve the theoretical potential for micrometer-level spatial resolution and millisecond-level temporal resolution. Despite its significant technical advantages, systematic research remains lacking on its specific clinical application prospects for digestive system diseases, particularly from the perspective of clinicians.

AIM

To investigate digestive disease clinicians’ awareness, perceived potential, and prioritized applications for the nascent PACT technology in the context of digestive diseases within China.

METHODS

A nationwide, cross-sectional survey was conducted from August 2025 to December 2025. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 150 digestive disease clinicians, assessing demographics, baseline awareness of PACT, and potential ratings (1-5 Likert scale) for 16 pre-defined clinical scenarios. Perceived challenges and implementation strategies were also explored. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, scenario ranking, subgroup analyses, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses with independent coding by two researchers.

RESULTS

Among 112 respondents (74.67% completion rate), 91.07% had minimal prior awareness of PACT. Upon understanding its technical advantages (micron-scale spatial and millisecond temporal resolution), 82.14% anticipated a significant or revolutionary impact on digestive disease management. The highest-rated applications were for interventional planning/efficacy assessment of hepatobiliary-pancreatic tumors (mean = 4.42) and early detection of sub-centimeter hepatocellular carcinoma (mean = 4.33). Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in perceptions: (1) Physicians from tertiary grade A hospitals rated early pancreatic cancer detection higher than those from other centers (4.38 vs 4.15, P = 0.032); (2) Hepatologists assigned greater potential to non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment than non-hepatologists (4.12 vs 3.89, P = 0.041); and (3) Senior physicians valued PACT more for judging early gastrointestinal cancer invasion depth (4.32 vs 4.05, P = 0.028) and tumor ablation planning (4.58 vs 4.30, P = 0.034). Major perceived barriers to adoption included the need for extensive radiologist training (68.75%), lack of high-level evidence (66.96%), and high costs (62.5%). Most respondents (53.57%) advocated for integration with artificial intelligence to maximize value.

CONCLUSION

Chinese digestive disease clinicians demonstrate high perceived potential for PACT, particularly in oncology and interventional contexts, contingent upon overcoming key translational hurdles related to evidence generation, specialist training, and cost-effectiveness. Future development should prioritize high-quality clinical trials for top-rated applications and explore synergistic integration with artificial intelligence.

Keywords: Phased-array computed tomography; Digestive system diseases; Application prospects; Survey research; Clinical needs

Core Tip: This first national survey reveals that while Chinese digestive disease clinicians are largely unfamiliar with Phased-array computed tomography, they strongly endorse its potential to address critical gaps in digestive disease care, especially early cancer detection and precise intervention. The study identifies specific high-priority applications, quantifies significant differences in perception based on physician specialty and practice setting, and outlines key barriers – training, evidence, cost – that must be overcome for successful clinical translation. The findings provide a strategic, evidence-based roadmap for developers and clinical researchers to guide the future of this disruptive imaging technology.