Colorectal NeoplasmsBlinkNCT07401004
Effect of Blink-Based Training on Cancer Detection in Colorectal Polyp Images by Medical Students/Non GI-trainees
A study testing Blink Features Training Video in people with Colorectal Neoplasms and Colorectal Polyps, run by Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel at 1 site in Belgium.
Trial summary
This study investigates whether a brief educational intervention using Blink features can improve medical students' and non-GI trainees' ability to detect colorectal cancer in static polyp images. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Colorectal Polyps
- What is being tested?
- Blink Features Training Video
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 65 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBelgium
- Study dates
- 20 Dec 2025to 27 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Images of large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs) obtained from patients who have provided informed consent for the anonymous use of polyp images during colonoscopy (EC-2024-200).
- Medical students and non-GI trainees who have provided written informed consent to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Participants (students or non-GI trainees) with prior experience in endoscopy or polyp detection, or those who do not provide informed consent.
- Images deemed to be of insufficient quality by the principal investigator.
- Patients who do not provide informed consent for image use and data collection.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Assessment of Blink Impression for Cancer Detection in Colorectal Polyps Among Medical Students and Non-GI Trainees: A Pre-Post Intervention Study
This study investigates whether a brief educational intervention using Blink features can improve medical students' and non-GI trainees' ability to detect colorectal cancer in static polyp images. Secondary aims include evaluating changes in specificity, confidence, and interobserver agreement, determining which Blink features support accurate detection, and examining the link between the number of features recognized and diagnostic performance. The study will recruit medical students and non-GI trainees without prior training in polyp morphology or endoscopic image interpretation, who will complete an online pre- and post-intervention image-based survey.
Read the detailed description
Background and Rationale:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Western countries, though it is largely preventable by detecting and removing precursor lesions such as colorectal polyps. While most polyps are small and benign, 1-2% are large (≥20 mm) non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs), which carry a markedly higher risk of invasive cancer (reported rates 6-15%, depending on morphology, histology, and location).
Accurate optical diagnosis of cancer in LNPCPs is critical for guiding treatment strategy-piecemeal endoscopic resection, en bloc resection, or surgery. However, endoscopists often underperform in identifying cancer within these lesions. Studies have reported correct cancer identification rates as low as 20-40%, even among trained endoscopists, contributing to unnecessary surgeries for benign polyps and missed diagnoses in malignant cases.
One contributing factor is the complexity of existing classification systems, which are rarely applied consistently in clinical practice. Simplified tools may improve accuracy and applicability.
The Blink framework, inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's concept of rapid, intuitive decision-making and aligned with Kahneman's System 1 thinking, condenses cancer recognition into six easily observed features of LNPCPs:
Fold deformation Extra redness Chicken skin mucosa Depression Spontaneous bleeding Ulceration
These Blink features can be recognized without advanced imaging and provide a structured, intuitive framework for rapid cancer detection. Previous research has shown that teaching these features improves endoscopists' diagnostic sensitivity. Building on this, the present study evaluates whether a brief Blink-based intervention can improve cancer detection among medical students and non-GI trainees with no prior training in polyp morphology.
Primary Objective:
To assess whether a short educational intervention (2-minute training video on Blink features) improves the sensitivity of medical students and non-GI trainees in detecting cancer in colorectal polyps using static images.
Secondary Objectives
- To evaluate changes in specificity, self-reported confidence, and interobserver agreement before and after the intervention.
- To identify which Blink features are associated with accurate cancer detection.
- To assess the relationship between the number of Blink features identified and diagnostic accuracy.
Study Design:
Design: Prospective interventional study with pre- and post-intervention assessments.
Setting: Online survey distributed to medical students and non-GI trainees affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Intervention: 2-minute video training on the six Blink features, followed by re-assessment of images.
Target Population:
Medical students and non-GI trainees affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel without prior endoscopy experience.
Sample size: 50-100 participants (yielding 1,000-2,000 individual image evaluations).
- Conditions
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Colorectal Polyps
- Being tested
- Blink Features Training Video
- Keywords
- Blink, Colorectal Polyps, Optical Diagnosis
- Medical subject headings
- Colorectal Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Blink Features Training VideoBehavioural
A brief (2-minute) educational video introducing six Blink features (fold deformation, extra redness, chicken skin mucosa, depression, spontaneous bleeding, ulceration) to improve recognition of colorectal cancer in large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Single Arm: Blink Features Training | Experimental | Medical students and non-GI trainees complete a baseline assessment of colorectal polyp images, receive a brief 2-minute educational video on Blink features, and then complete a post-intervention assessment. Receives: Behavioral: Blink Features Training Video |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in sensitivity for detection of colorectal cancer in polyp images
Sensitivity will be calculated as the proportion of correctly identified cancerous polyps out of all cancerous polyps presented. Comparison will be made between pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments.
Measured: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (within one online survey session, approximately 15-20 minutes).
Secondary outcomes (5)
Change in specificity for cancer detection
Specificity: proportion of cancerous polyps correctly identified as cancerous. Compared pre- vs post-intervention using the same participant as their own control.
Measured: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (single online session, ~15-20 minutes).
Change in self-reported diagnostic confidence
Mean confidence score per case (e.g., 1-5 Likert scale) averaged per participant, compared pre- vs post-intervention.
Measured: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (same session).
Change in interobserver agreement (Fleiss' kappa)
Agreement among participants on cancer vs non-cancer classification, computed as Fleiss' kappa and compared pre- vs post-intervention
Measured: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (same session).
Correlation between presence of individual Blink features and correct cancer classification
For each endoscopic image, participants will indicate the presence or absence of predefined Blink features (fold deformation, extra redness, chicken skin mucosa, depression, spontaneous bleeding, ulceration). Each feature will be analyzed separately. The presence of each feature will be correlated with diagnostic accuracy, defined as the proportion (%) of correct classifications (cancer vs non-cancer) across participants, using histology as the reference standard.
Measurement Tool: Online survey with image annotation for Blink features and classification task for cancer vs non-cancer.
Unit of Measure: Correlation coefficient (r) between presence/absence of each Blink feature and diagnostic accuracy (%).
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the educational intervention (within the same online survey session, ~15-20 minutes).
Correlation between number of Blink features identified and diagnostic accuracy
For each image, participants will indicate the presence or absence of predefined Blink features (fold deformation, extra redness, chicken skin mucosa, depression, spontaneous bleeding, ulceration). The per-image/per-participant count of features identified will then be correlated with diagnostic accuracy (% of correct cancer vs non-cancer classifications).
Measurement Tool: Online survey with image annotation for Blink features and classification task for cancer vs non-cancer (histology as reference standard).
Unit of Measure: Correlation coefficient (r) between number of Blink features identified and diagnostic accuracy (%).
Measured: Immediately after the educational intervention (within the same online survey session, ~15-20 minutes).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Feb 2026
- Study start20 Dec 2025
- Primary completion27 Jan 2026
- Study completion27 Jan 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Colorectal NeoplasmsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Universitair Ziekenhuis BrusselThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- Single group of medical students/non-GI trainee's will complete a pre-intervention assessment of colorectal polyp images, receive a brief educational intervention (2-minute Blink features video), and then complete a post-intervention assessment using the same images again.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 65 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dhurgham Razooqi, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07401004
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25311_Blink
- Other IDs
- 25311_Blink
- Acronym
- Blink
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 10 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data (IPD) underlying the reported results will be made available upon reasonable request from qualified researchers after publication of the study results. Data will be shared directly by the principal investigator following a data access agreement
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Assessment of Blink Impression for Cancer Detection in Colorectal Polyps Among Medical Students and Non-GI Trainees: A Pre-Post Intervention Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07401004
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Blink / 25311_Blink
- Conditions
- Colorectal Neoplasms, Colorectal Polyps
- Keywords
- Blink, Colorectal Polyps, Optical Diagnosis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 65 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universitair Ziekenhuis BrusselUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 27 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 10 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study investigates whether a brief educational intervention using Blink features can improve medical students' and non-GI trainees' ability to detect colorectal cancer in static polyp images. Secondary aims include evaluating changes in specificity, confidence, and interobserver agreement, determining which Blink features support accurate detection, and examining the link between the number of features recognized and diagnostic performance. The study will recruit medical students and non-GI trainees without prior training in polyp morphology or endoscopic image interpretation, who will complete an online pre- and post-intervention image-based survey.
Detailed description
Background and Rationale:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Western countries, though it is largely preventable by detecting and removing precursor lesions such as colorectal polyps. While most polyps are small and benign, 1-2% are large (≥20 mm) non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs), which carry a markedly higher risk of invasive cancer (reported rates 6-15%, depending on morphology, histology, and location).
Accurate optical diagnosis of cancer in LNPCPs is critical for guiding treatment strategy-piecemeal endoscopic resection, en bloc resection, or surgery. However, endoscopists often underperform in identifying cancer within these lesions. Studies have reported correct cancer identification rates as low as 20-40%, even among trained endoscopists, contributing to unnecessary surgeries for benign polyps and missed diagnoses in malignant cases.
One contributing factor is the complexity of existing classification systems, which are rarely applied consistently in clinical practice. Simplified tools may improve accuracy and applicability.
The Blink framework, inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's concept of rapid, intuitive decision-making and aligned with Kahneman's System 1 thinking, condenses cancer recognition into six easily observed features of LNPCPs:
Fold deformation Extra redness Chicken skin mucosa Depression Spontaneous bleeding Ulceration
These Blink features can be recognized without advanced imaging and provide a structured, intuitive framework for rapid cancer detection. Previous research has shown that teaching these features improves endoscopists' diagnostic sensitivity. Building on this, the present study evaluates whether a brief Blink-based intervention can improve cancer detection among medical students and non-GI trainees with no prior training in polyp morphology.
Primary Objective:
To assess whether a short educational intervention (2-minute training video on Blink features) improves the sensitivity of medical students and non-GI trainees in detecting cancer in colorectal polyps using static images.
Secondary Objectives
- To evaluate changes in specificity, self-reported confidence, and interobserver agreement before and after the intervention.
- To identify which Blink features are associated with accurate cancer detection.
- To assess the relationship between the number of Blink features identified and diagnostic accuracy.
Study Design:
Design: Prospective interventional study with pre- and post-intervention assessments.
Setting: Online survey distributed to medical students and non-GI trainees affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Intervention: 2-minute video training on the six Blink features, followed by re-assessment of images.
Target Population:
Medical students and non-GI trainees affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel without prior endoscopy experience.
Sample size: 50-100 participants (yielding 1,000-2,000 individual image evaluations).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- Single group of medical students/non-GI trainee's will complete a pre-intervention assessment of colorectal polyp images, receive a brief educational intervention (2-minute Blink features video), and then complete a post-intervention assessment using the same images again.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Single Arm: Blink Features Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Blink Features Training VideoMedical students and non-GI trainees complete a baseline assessment of colorectal polyp images, receive a brief 2-minute educational video on Blink features, and then complete a post-intervention assessment. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Images of large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs) obtained from patients who have provided informed consent for the anonymous use of polyp images during colonoscopy (EC-2024-200).
- Medical students and non-GI trainees who have provided written informed consent to participate in the study.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Participants (students or non-GI trainees) with prior experience in endoscopy or polyp detection, or those who do not provide informed consent.
- Images deemed to be of insufficient quality by the principal investigator.
- Patients who do not provide informed consent for image use and data collection.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Blink Features Training VideoA brief (2-minute) educational video introducing six Blink features (fold deformation, extra redness, chicken skin mucosa, depression, spontaneous bleeding, ulceration) to improve recognition of colorectal cancer in large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps. | Behavioural | Single Arm: Blink Features Training |
Primary outcome
Change in sensitivity for detection of colorectal cancer in polyp images
Time frame: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (within one online survey session, approximately 15-20 minutes).
Sensitivity will be calculated as the proportion of correctly identified cancerous polyps out of all cancerous polyps presented. Comparison will be made between pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments.
5 secondary outcomes
Change in specificity for cancer detection
Time frame: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (single online session, ~15-20 minutes).
Change in self-reported diagnostic confidence
Time frame: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (same session).
Change in interobserver agreement (Fleiss' kappa)
Time frame: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (same session).
Correlation between presence of individual Blink features and correct cancer classification
Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the educational intervention (within the same online survey session, ~15-20 minutes).
Correlation between number of Blink features identified and diagnostic accuracy
Time frame: Immediately after the educational intervention (within the same online survey session, ~15-20 minutes).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data (IPD) underlying the reported results will be made available upon reasonable request from qualified researchers after publication of the study results. Data will be shared directly by the principal investigator following a data access agreement
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Blink Features Training Video in people with Colorectal Neoplasms and Colorectal Polyps, run by Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel at 1 site in Belgium.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Belgium. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in sensitivity for detection of colorectal cancer in polyp images (time frame: Immediately before and after the educational intervention (within one online survey session, approximately 15-20 minutes).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Feb 2026.