Artificial intelligence (AI) could soon help doctors reduce the number of broken bones missed during the analysis of medical images taken by X-rays, improving accuracy and patient treatment outcomes.
According to a BBC news report, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said that the new AI-driven tool is safe and has the potential to accelerate the diagnosis process, saving clinicians more time and minimizing the need for follow-up check-ups.
With efficiency, accuracy, and productivity being priorities for healthcare providers, the use of AI tools to spot broken bones could be a game changer in medical imaging. This would allow healthcare professionals to minimize the number of missed broken bones in X-rays, resulting in an improved patient care outcome.
AI Technology Revolutionizing Medical X-ray Analysis
According to the health assessment body NICE, broken bones are missed in about 3-10% of X-ray cases, becoming one of the most common errors in emergency departments.
As such, the use of AI tools in X-ray image analysis could improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce the burden on healthcare teams, which are already strained due to the shortage of professionals, allowing them to serve many patients.
Mark Chapman, director of health technology at NICE, told BBC that the new AI tool could help speed up the diagnostic process, reducing the number of follow-up cases associated with fractured bones missed during medical assessments.
The announcement of the new technology comes amid the boom in artificial intelligence use in the healthcare sector, with many AI-powered software applications, medical devices, wearables, and co-pilots slowly but steadily gaining traction to help boost accuracy and productivity and plug the existing shortage of healthcare professionals.
NICE emphasized that the AI tool will complement clinicians’ work, reducing the likelihood of the tool generating incorrect diagnoses and unnecessary referrals to fracture clinics.
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