Diagnosing early-stage cervical cancer using artificial intelligence

Using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm that uses scattered light data from tissues, researchers from IISER Kolkata and IIT Kanpur have been able to differentiate normal and precancerous tissue, and even identify the different stages of progression of the disease within a few minutes and with great accuracy. In vivo studies are now being carried out. The morphology of healthy and precancerous cervical tissue sites are quite different, and light that gets scattered from these tissues varies accordingly. Yet, it is difficult to discern with naked eyes the subtle differences in the scattered light characteristics of normal and precancerous tissue. Now, an artificial intelligence-based algorithm developed by a team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur makes this possible.