AI offers significant promise on breast cancer screening

A new Swedish study has suggested that artificial intelligence can “safely” read breast cancer screening images.

Scientists led by a team at Lund University found that computer-aided detection could identify cancer at a “similar rate” to two radiologists, but they said that more research was needed to fully determine whether it could be used in screening programmes.

Experts in the UK have agreed that AI offers huge promise in screening for breast cancer.

The trial involved around 80,000 women from Sweden with an average age of 54.  Half of the scans were assessed by two radiologists, known as standard screening, while the other half were assessed by the AI-supported screening tool followed by interpretation by one or two radiologists.

In total 244 women from the AI-supported screening were found to have cancer, compared to 203 women recalled from the standard screening.  In addition, the use of AI did not generate more “false positives”, where a scan is incorrectly diagnosed as abnormal.

Dr Kristina Lang, lead author of the study, said AI has the potential to be deployed in breast cancer screening, helping to address the shortages of radiologists seen across the world.  But she added that more research was needed in this area to fully understand its potential and cost-effectiveness.

A spokesperson from NHS England said “This research is very encouraging, and plans are underway to assess the best ways of implementing this technology into the NHS Breast Screening Programme.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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