目的： 探讨新型海绵胶囊联合人工智能细胞DNA检测在早期食管癌筛查中的价值。方法： 2021年6月至2022年6月期间，向社会招募年龄>40岁，愿意行食管癌筛查的受试者。首先让受试者行新型海绵细胞胶囊检查，收集细胞标本，采用人工智能 (artificial intelligence，AI) 评测细胞学DNA指数（DNA index，DI），后均行内镜检查，评价细胞学DI值与内镜结果之间的关系。结果： 本研究共纳入1 369名受试者。经内镜确诊食管病变组25例，其中食管低级别上皮内瘤变15例，食管高级别上皮内瘤变1例，食管癌9例。食管正常组1 344例，食管正常组DI值为2.154±0.339，食管病变组DI值为2.832±0.479，食管病变组DI值明显高于食管正常组DI值（P<0.05）。Logistic回归分析显示，食管病变组与食管正常组的DI值比值比（odds ratio，OR）为0.04（95%CI为0.017~0.096）。海绵胶囊DI值诊断食管病变的最佳临界值为2.450，受试者工作特征（receiver operating characteristic，ROC）曲线下面积为0.914，特异度为83.71%，灵敏度为88.00%，准确率为83.78%。结论： 新型海绵胶囊收集细胞行DI检测可用于早期食管癌的筛查，该方法值得临床推广。

Objective To explore the value of novel sponge capsules combined with AI-based cell DNA detectio in early esophageal cancer screening. Methods From June 2021 to June 2022, subjects aged >40 years who were willing to undergo esophageal cancer screening were recruited. Firstly, the subjects underwent a novel sponge cell capsule examination to collect cell specimens. Then the cytological DNA index (DI) was assessed using artificial intelligence (AI). Subsequently, all subjects underwent endoscopy. The relationship between cytologic DI values and endoscopic findings was evaluated. Results A total of 1 369 participants were enrolled. There were 25 cases of esophageal lesions confirmed by endoscopy, including 15 cases of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, 1 case of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and 9 cases of esophageal cancer. There were 1 344 cases in the normal esophagus group. DI was 2.154 ± 0.339 in the normal group and 2.832 ± 0.479 in the lesion group. The DI value of the esophageal lesion group was significantly higher than that of the normal esophageal group, and the difference was statistically significant. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio (OR) of DI values between the esophageal lesion group and the normal esophagus group = 0.04 (95% CI: 0.017-0.096). The sponge capsules combined with DI value diagnosed esophageal lesions with an area under the ROC curve of 0.914, an optimal critical value of 2.450, a specificity of 83.71%, a sensitivity of 88.00%, and an accuracy of 83.78%. Conclusions The novel sponge capsules DI test can be used for screening of early esophageal cancer, and this method should be promoted in clinical practice.