Swedish Research Team Announces... "Detection Rate Higher Than Specialists"
"Proves AI Can Replace Doctors"
Research results suggesting that artificial intelligence (AI) can replace medical professionals have attracted attention. AI was found to be more accurate than specialists in cancer diagnosis.
Medical AI company Lunit announced on the 10th that “a study by the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, published on the 8th in the international journal ‘The Lancet Digital Health,’ showed that AI can replace medical staff in the breast cancer screening process.”
Dr. Fredrik Strand’s team at the Karolinska Institute analyzed the results of screening 55,581 Swedish women from April 2021 to June last year using Lunit’s mammography AI image analysis solution, ‘Lunit Insight MMG.’
In the breast cancer screening process, the first diagnosis was made by two specialists, the second by Lunit AI combined with one specialist, and the third by Lunit AI alone; these results were compared.
The analysis showed that when Lunit AI and one specialist worked together, the Cancer Detection Rate (CDR) was 4.3 per 1,000 examinees. This was higher than the detection rate of 4.1 when two specialists read the images. The detection rate for Lunit AI alone was also 4.1, equal to that of two specialists.
Medical staff at Sweden's Saint G?ran Hospital analyzing the research results of 'Lunit Insight MMG' [Image source=Lunit]
The Recall Rate (RR), which refers to calling patients back for additional cancer re-examination, was also lower when Lunit AI was combined with one specialist. Since unnecessary recalls for additional tests burden both patients and medical staff, a lower recall rate while maintaining cancer detection is a desirable outcome.
Dr. Strand stated, “In Europe, two doctors make the final decision in breast cancer diagnosis, but there is difficulty due to a shortage of radiology specialists.”
He added, “This study not only lays the foundation for using AI in breast cancer screening but also proves that AI can replace the role of one doctor.”
Lunit recently supplied Lunit Insight MMG to Stockholm’s Capio St. G?ran Hospital, Sweden’s largest private hospital, for three years, where it is responsible for the final diagnosis, replacing one doctor for the first time in the world. This is the first case worldwide where AI replaces one of two doctors in an actual medical environment and handles the final diagnosis.
Dr. Karin Dembroer of St. G?ran Hospital said about Lunit Insight MMG, “In the short term, it will detect more cancers, and in the long term, it will contribute to early breast cancer diagnosis by reducing interval cancers and detecting smaller tumors.”
Lunit stated, “To secure a new market using AI in Europe, where the shortage of radiologists is worsening, we established ‘Lunit Europe Holdings’ as a subsidiary earlier this year and are expanding our sales capabilities.”
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