The use of AI in breast cancer screening could save many lives, according to a landmark study.
The research, led by Imperial College London, involved 175,000 women – the largest NHS study to date. The findings clearly show the advantages of using AI to identify breast cancer earlier, reduce errors and help deliver life-saving treatment sooner.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with one woman diagnosed every 10 minutes and roughly 55,000 new cases per year. Diagnosis usually follows a mammogram or breast screening, with images assessed by clinical radiologists.
The NHS is under pressure as there is currently a 29% shortfall of radiologists in the UK – almost 2,000 – and this is predicted to rise to 39% by 2029.
The study looked at the potential of using AI technology to assess these scans and reduce radiologists’ workload.
According to Professor Deborah Cunningham, a consultant radiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and study co-author, the technology could...