New tumour removal surgery using artificial intelligence developed at UCD

A surgical technique using artificial intelligence, a camera, and dyes, which enables surgeons to "see" tumours in real-time and have a far better chance of fully removing them has been developed at UCD. "The surgical team can better perfect the right intervention to the individual patient," explains Ronan Cahill, Professor of Surgery at UCD and the Mater Hospital, who developed the new approach with Jeffrey Dalli, General Surgeon and Surgical Research Fellow at UCD. The scientific work on this technique was done at UCD and also at the Mater Hospital, with technological collaboration from IBM Research. "The technology will help surgeons better discriminate during operations what is best for each individual patient," says Mr Dalli. Some 2,800 people per year are affected by colorectal cancer in Ireland, says Cahill, who has a special interest in these cancers. When cancer is not fully removed initially it becomes much harder to cure and further operations and treatments are needed, he says.