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AI Slashes Interval Cancers: A Screening Breakthrough
6 Feb
Summary
- AI reduced aggressive interval breast cancers by 12% in a large Swedish trial.
- AI supported radiologists, significantly cutting their workload.
- The AI tool flagged suspicious areas, aiding radiologist interpretation.
A Swedish breast screening trial involving nearly 100,000 women has demonstrated the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance cancer detection and reduce radiologist workload. The study, conducted between April 2021 and December 2022, randomly assigned women aged 40 to 80 to either standard screening with two radiologists or an AI-supported approach. In the AI-supported group, AI flagged suspicious areas on mammograms, leading to an 11-fewer interval cancer diagnosis—a 12 percent reduction compared to standard screening. Researchers noted that interval cancers, diagnosed between routine screenings, tend to be more aggressive and harder to treat. The AI system acts as a support tool, aiding radiologists in interpretation rather than replacing them. Furthermore, the AI-assisted method reduced radiologist workload by 44 percent, a significant benefit for institutions experiencing staff shortages. While AI-assisted mammography is being implemented in parts of Sweden and Denmark, experts emphasize that it is not yet ready to replace human oversight and requires rigorous testing.
