Survey: Majority of Imaging Leaders See Important Role for Machine Learning in Radiology

While there is much hype around machine learning and its uses in healthcare, a recent survey indicates that machine learning is not just a buzzword, as 84 percent of medical imaging professionals view the technology as being either important or extremely important in medical imaging. What's more, about 20 percent of medical imaging professionals say they have already adopted machine learning, and about one-third say they will adopt it by 2020. A recent study by Reaction Data sought to examine the hype around artificial intelligence and machine learning, specifically in the area of radiology and imaging, to uncover where AI might be more useful and applicable and in what areas medical imaging professionals are looking to utilize machine learning. As Healthcare Informatics Editor-in-Chief Mark Hagland noted back in November, at RSNA 2017 the most prevalent topic was machine learning and how much of an impact it will have on the practice of medicine and on the business of healthcare overall. Reaction Data, a market research firm based in American Fork, Utah, got feedback from 133 imaging professionals, including directors of radiology, radiologists, imaging directors, radiology managers, chief of radiology and PACS administrators, to gauge the industry on machine learning.