AI trained to spot brain tumours faster than humans

Scientists at New York University have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) that can diagnose brain tumours faster and more accurately than human doctors. First, the researchers used an advanced form of imaging called stimulated Raman histology (SRH) that uses lasers to highlight areas of the brain that would not usually be visible in a scan. These images were then processed and analysed by an artificially intelligent system, which generated an accurate brain tumour diagnosis in less than 150 seconds. According to the research, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine, the AI-based diagnosis was 94.6 per cent accurate, compared to 93.9 per cent for human doctors. "As surgeons, we're limited to acting on what we can see; this technology allows us to see what would otherwise be invisible, to improve speed and accuracy in the OR [operating room], and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis," said senior author Dr Daniel A Orringer, associate professor of neurosurgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who co-led the study.