Although it may be doubtful whether computer equipment can really accurately draw conclusions by looking at human X-rays, doctors reassure that the risk is practically non-existent.
More about this in TV3 news.
Daiva came to the radiology office of Vilnius Šeškina Polyclinic to receive a health certificate required by his employer.
“I came because I need a preventive check-up for work. And since I had a lung photo taken a long time ago, I had to visit this office,” says Daiva.
The patient says that the preventive procedure is simple and did not take long.
“Very fast. In that sense, it was time, I came, the cool guys invited and they did it pretty quickly. It is a procedure of several minutes, in that sense. It’s painless,” the woman assures.
Results in 1-2 minutes
Not only is the procedure quick, but the X-ray results are obtained extremely promptly. Artificial intelligence helps to save time for doctors and patients.
“He evaluates the photo and if there are no changes in it, he immediately gives his conclusion that the patient is healthy, and the doctor sees that conclusion in real time immediately, so in practice, it takes 1-2 minutes until he sees the photo,” says radiology and diagnostics head of department Antanas Pempė.
Such a scientific innovation is not only a great help to the doctor and a lifesaver for the patient in a hurry. Another function of artificial intelligence is to help avoid human errors.
“He observes all the photos taken of the lungs and compares his analysis with the doctor’s description. And if he finds any differences, he then sends a message,” says A. Pempė.
A member of the team developing this artificial intelligence tool says that the idea arose to stop the country’s growing shortage of doctors.
“We saw that there is a shortage of radiologists and we wanted to make sure that, how to solve the problem, that there are not enough of them. And we were looking for models that would help every radiologist to be more efficient”, says Vytautas Naujalis, head of business development at Oxipit.
The aim is to further expand the possibilities
Initially, a large amount of data had to be collected in order for the artificial intelligence to process and classify the incoming information.
“We started with about half a million chest X-rays, currently we already have between 1-2 million, where we not only received requests from radiologists, but were additionally annotated by our radiologists,” says the business development manager of Oxipit.
There are no limits to perfection. Although this tool is already used by doctors, the aim is to expand its capabilities.
“It’s been 7 years now, we’re still improving, there’s still room for improvement, but at the moment we’re probably among the 3-4 best models in the world, in this field,” assures V. Naujalis.
For now, no matter how accurate the system is, the results are still evaluated by an experienced doctor. This minimizes any chance of error.
“If the artificial intelligence decides that there are no changes, the answer immediately falls into the system and the radiologist later, when he has time, checks and signs with his signature to confirm that everything is in order,” says the head of the radiology and diagnostics department.
Want to apply in other areas
Due to the novelty of the technology, it is still difficult to measure how much AI saves time or money in diagnostics. There is no doubt that this increases the efficiency of research. Currently, researchers are looking for opportunities to apply artificial intelligence in other areas of radiology.
“We try to be innovative and keep pace with the latest technology and scientific achievements,” comments Dr. Pempė.
The first artificial intelligence systems were created in the last century, but the biggest breakthrough, felt by society, happened in the last 10-15 years. It is gaining ground in the medical field as well.
Learn more about it in the video report at the top of the article.
Tags: Artificial intelligence work doctors condition lungs determined computer
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