VIJAYAWADA: In the realm of radiology, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) heralds a new era of efficiency and accuracy in diagnosing and treating medical conditions.
Driven by the pursuit of enhanced patient outcomes, AI startups are spearheading transformative solutions to traditional challenges within the radiology sector. Traditionally, there was no medium of support for the radiologists to rely upon in order to interpret the medical images. It was solely on their own expertise and knowledge they used to depend, which could go wrong easily and have potential chances of errors.
A leading expert in AI applications in radiology, CEO and co-founder of DeepTek.ai, Pune Dr Amit Kharat told TNIE, “AI technologies have the potential to revolutionise radiology by minimising traditional challenges and reshaping the future of healthcare.”
TNIE interacted with Dr Amit Kharat, who was the key speaker on AI role in Radiology in the 76th Annual Conference of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA), organised by Indian Radiological & Imaging Association (IRIA), held from January 25 to 28 at CK Convention centre, Vijayawada. “With the integration of AI technologies, radiology stands at the forefront of innovation in modern healthcare,” asserts Dr Kharat. AI algorithms analyse vast amounts of radiological images swiftly and accurately, augmenting the expertise of radiologists and expediting diagnosis, he said.
Moreover, AI platforms standardise diagnostic protocols, ensuring consistency in reporting and treatment decisions. “Standardising guidelines for diagnosis is essential to improving the quality of patient care,” notes Dr Kharat. By incorporating evidence-based best practices, AI startups enhance the reliability and efficiency of radiological interpretations. Dr Kharat emphasised that “Seamless collaboration among radiologists is crucial for accurate diagnostics and treatment planning.”
AI technologies enable real-time communication and consultation among radiology professionals, optimising patient care outcomes.
In one case, India has recently realised a need for unified action and urgency to tackle health challenges like Tuberculosis, thereby eliminating TB by 2025. High cost of diagnostic tests and severe shortage of radiologists are amongst the key challenges faced in screening TB suspects and AI-powered TB screening playing a pivotal role to analyse Chest X Rays within a minute to automatically triage TB suspects.
In response to pressing health care challenges, AI-powered solutions offer innovative approaches to disease screening and diagnosis. Dr Kharat acknowledged that AI-powered screening tools hold immense potential in detecting diseases like Tuberculosis, addressing diagnostic processes.