Artificial Intelligence breakthrough could save lives through screening

An international team of researchers has found a computer algorithm to be as effective at detecting breast cancer from x-rays as human radiologists. Researchers from Google Health, DeepMind, Imperial College London, the NHS and Northwestern University in the US have designed and trained an artificial intelligence (AI) model on mammography images from almost 29,000 women. The AI displayed a similar degree of accuracy to expert radiologists in identifying cancers from images, according to the findings published yesterday (Jan 1). This new research provides hope that AI could potentially assist clinical staff in future practice, after various projects showed that AI also reduced screening errors, helping to limit the number of incorrectly diagnosed patients. The AI could potentially be introduced around the world, supporting decision-making and reducing pressure on healthcare systems and the workload of clinical reviewers.