AI system shows early promise in helping heart, lung patients
Researchers at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, United Kingdom, have created artificial intelligence that is able to read scans for heart disease and lung cancer, according to an article in BBC News.
This new technology not only has the potential to save “billions of pounds” by recognizing diseases quicker, but the government’s healthcare tsar, Sir John Bell told BBC AI could “save the NHS.”
While the story didn’t delve into the specifics of the technology, BBC reports the AI system diagnoses heart scans and gives a recommendation to doctors. Positive means it believes the patient is at risk of having a heart attack.
The system has been tested in clinical trials in six cardiology units with the results scheduled to be published this year in a peer-reviewed journal. According to Paul Leeson, a cardiologist who developed the system, the initial results are impressive.
Leeson told the BBC the data indicates the system has “greatly” outperformed his fellow heart specialists. If approved, NHS hospitals will have this technology free at their fingertips this summer.
"As cardiologists, we accept that we don't always get it right at the moment. But now there is a possibility that way may be able to do better," Leeson said in the report.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.