Chinese University researchers on Wednesday said they have invented non-invasive technology to identify bowel disease, reducing the need for endoscopies.

The university made use of faecal samples from about 6,000 people from different regions, and found about 20 types of bacteria associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Francis Chan, professor of medicine and therapeutics, said droplet digital PCR technology can be used to test stool samples and determine whether a patient has IBD or a different gut disorder.

“IBD, at least early stage, their symptoms are no different from our common functional gut problems like irritable bowel syndrome,” he said.

“That's the reason why when many patients present with these recurrent symptoms related to the gut, they go to see the doctor, and then they have no choice but to undergo endoscopy, just to make sure that they are not suffering from IBD.”

Chan said traditionally, it takes up to 12 months for a patient with IBD to be diagnosed, and delayed treatment can lead to serious complications like bleeding and bowel cancer.

He said results from the stool test are available in a week, allowing for earlier diagnosis.

Researchers said the technology can also assess the risk of bowel cancer among IBD patients, adding that the test is expected to be ready for clinical use in Hong Kong in 2027.