Can AI reduce time to breast cancer diagnosis?

A new research study from Northwestern Medicine and Google will explore whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) models can reduce the time to diagnosis for women whose mammograms show a higher likelihood of breast cancer. The trial will evaluate if investigational AI models could help by prioritizing radiologist review of mammogram images with a higher suspicion of breast cancer. Digital mammography, or X-ray imaging of the breast, is the most common method to try to catch breast cancer as early as possible, with approximately 40 million exams performed each year in the U.S. In the current system, women go to the clinic for their mammogram and then 10% to 15% of them will require an additional diagnostic workup. This can take days or even weeks and requires at least two trips to the clinic for the patient, often resulting in added worry during that period of waiting. The AI model is trained to quickly find the mammograms which need further review and prioritize these for the radiologist to review.