The North East London Cancer Alliance is using artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up chest X-ray results for patients with serious conditions. This new AI approach reduces the wait time for important scan results from three weeks to just three days.
Working with Sectra Amplifier services and the Qure.ai qXR AI tool, the alliance helps radiologists prioritize urgent cases, make better decisions, and streamline the patient’s journey. This project includes major healthcare providers like Barts Health NHS Trust, Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Homerton Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Oliver Hawkins, senior project manager at the North East London Cancer Alliance, praised the partnership with Qure.ai and Sectra, saying it will “revolutionize cancer diagnostics in North East London” by providing patients with quicker access to critical tests.
AI has been especially useful as chest X-rays in North East London nearly doubled, increasing from 139,080 in 2017 to 270,000 in 2022. With a 29% shortage in radiologists across the UK, the AI system helps healthcare providers focus on urgent cases and quickly manage non-urgent ones, speeding up diagnosis for serious conditions like lung cancer.
This AI technology supports, rather than replaces, medical teams, allowing them to provide faster and more accurate care. Patients benefit by receiving timely treatment or quicker reassurance when no issues are found.
Chris Scarisbrick, Sectra UK’s deputy managing director, highlighted how the AI integration improves diagnostic efficiency and reduces delays by embedding AI seamlessly into radiology workflows.
Qure.ai’s qXR solution was also tested in the LungIMPACT trial, a study with NHS hospitals, which used AI to quickly detect lung issues from chest X-rays, ensuring patients get the care they need as quickly as possible.
Source: digitalhealth
