AI-driven algorithms could be groundbreaking in medical diagnoses
Artificial intelligence could revolutionize the diagnosis of various diseases, according to Gaurav Singal, M.D., a computer scientist and physician at Harvard Medical School, and Anupam B. Jena, M.D., Ph.D., a professor, economist and physician at Harvard Medical School.
In an opinion piece published by The Los Angeles Times, Drs. Singal and Anupam noted that physicians continue to rely on a set of signs and symptoms to identify diseases. For instance, medical students may memorize submillimeter differences in electrocardiogram readouts that signal a heart attack. However, human error can lead to misinterpreted symptoms or misdiagnoses.
The experts highlighted that these instances may hold opportunity for the use of AI — technology that is often less susceptible to error because it lacks human cognitive limitations. They emphasized that AI could improve diagnostic accuracy and timeliness, detect signs of disease or previously unrecognized patterns that may evade human perception and enhance patient outcomes.
Radiologists diagnosing ischemic stroke must perform and interpret imaging quickly and accurately; however, AI deployed in this setting utilizes pattern matching to identify ischemic stroke almost immediately after imaging.
Drs. Singal and Jena concluded that “the rapid growth in health care data — including detailed electronic health records, imaging, genomic data, biometrics and behavioral data — combined with advancements in [AI] technology has created a major opportunity … [to] complement, rather than replace, the human expertise that already saves so many lives.” Nonetheless, there are still financial hurdles to overcome before AI becomes more widespread in medical settings.
Read more: The Los Angeles Times
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