AI Promising for Axial Spondyloarthritis Diagnosis

Artificial intelligence (AI) detected axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in radiographic scans of sacroiliac joints as accurately as human experts, shows a new study. The findings have the potential to greatly expand access to accurate axSpA diagnoses for patients in areas that lack trained experts on the condition, said Denis Poddubnyy, M.D., head of rheumatology at Charité University in Germany. The findings will be presented on Monday at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. AxSpA is typically diagnosed by radiograph, but successfully identifying signs of axSpA in a scan can be difficult. Readings by specialists with little experience in rheumatology can be inaccurate, but then, not all healthcare sites have easy access to physicians with rheumatology expertise.