In the ongoing effort against breast cancer, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful ally for healthcare professionals.
A recent pilot program by an NHS hospital trust has yielded promising results, with an AI tool successfully pinpointing extremely small signs of breast cancer that were overlooked by human specialists.
This development in the use of AI in healthcare has the potential to improve early detection rates, leading to better treatment outcomes and increased survival rates.
See how Kherion Medical Technologies explains MIA in the video below.
MIA: The AI detective
Named “MIA” (short for Mammography Intelligent Assessment), this artificial intelligence tool meticulously examines mammograms, the X-ray images used for breast cancer screening. It has been trained to recognize subtle patterns and anomalies that can indicate the presence of cancerous cells, even in their earliest stages of development.
The NHS pilot study involved MIA working in tandem with expert radiologists to analyze over 10,000 mammograms. In the images where the cancer was confirmed, Mia accurately flagged every single case.
More impressively, it detected an additional 11 cases that had been initially missed by the human specialists.
Why early detection is crucial?
When it comes to cancer treatment, early detection is absolutely vital. The sooner breast cancer is identified, the smaller the tumor is likely to be and the less chance it has had to spread. This translates into more effective treatment options, a greater likelihood of successful treatment, and higher survival rates.
The problem is that very early-stage cancers can appear incredibly small and subtle on a mammogram. This is where human error can come into play; fatigued eyes or distractions can sometimes lead to these tiny warning signs being overlooked.
A helping ‘eye’ not a replacement
It’s important to stress that MIA is not designed to replace radiologists. Instead, it works as an additional safety net, providing a thorough second opinion. AI systems like MIA excel at tasks that involve analyzing vast quantities of data while remaining consistently attentive – precisely the sort of tasks where humans can naturally falter.
This collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy of breast cancer screening. Missed diagnoses could be reduced, resulting in more individuals receiving the prompt treatment they need to increase their chances of a full recovery.
The NHS pilot underscores the immense potential of artificial intelligence within medical diagnostics. While a human eye is remarkable, there are limits to its consistency throughout an exhaustive workload and artificial intelligence tools like MIA give us a consistent ‘second eye‘ that can be trained to look specifically for these incredibly subtle early-stage signs, improving our ability to catch cancer at its most treatable point.
However, experts emphasize that integrating artificial intelligence tools requires careful consideration. AI systems require rigorous training on extensive datasets, and their deployment necessitates clear protocols and guidelines for how their results will be integrated into clinical decision-making.
Human expertise meets AI power
While this NHS pilot specifically targeted breast cancer, artificial intelligence’s potential in medical imaging extends far beyond a single disease. Similar technology could be adapted to detect early signs of lung cancer, prostate cancer, and other conditions where early diagnosis means a better prognosis.
The successful use of MIA highlights a growing trend in healthcare: the integration of artificial intelligence as a tool that works alongside healthcare professionals to improve patient care. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see it play an increasingly important role in medical diagnosis and treatment, improving outcomes and saving lives.
Featured image credit: Freepik.
