Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has teamed up with technology company Lucida Medical to introduce an AI tool called Pi. This makes them the first NHS trust in the UK to use this technology alongside teams of radiologists.
With support from charities Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer Research, the Pi tool is now being used at Yeovil District and Musgrove Park hospitals. It helps radiologists detect clinically significant prostate cancer by analyzing prostate MRI scans using AI techniques.
Macmillan estimates that over 500,000 men in the UK live with prostate cancer, with more than 12,000 deaths annually.
Dr. Paul Burn, a consultant radiologist at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, explains how the tool works: “Within a few minutes of the patient having their MRI scan, the Pi tool displays a number indicating the probability of cancer on the scan. It also highlights the exact location of any tumors in the prostate by adding a color overlay to the scan images.”
Dr. Burn expects the tool to ease pressure within the hospital by speeding up the diagnostic pathway and reducing waiting times. It will also support clinical departments with fewer MRI reporters.
The goal is to accelerate the process and prioritize patients with cancer using this AI software.
Dr. Anthony Cunliffe, national lead medical adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, says, “Our investment in Lucida Medical and its Pi AI platform has the potential to transform how we diagnose and monitor patients with prostate cancer. We’re pleased to see this software being utilized in Musgrove Park and Yeovil.”
Source: Thebusinessdesk
