He will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in all radiotherapy departments at the hospital, to reduce waiting times and help detect cancer cells 2.5 times faster than doctors.
This is considered an “exciting breakthrough” in cancer care. The AI application program will last at hospitals for three years, expected to benefit tens of thousands of patients.
AI assists doctors in evaluating CT or MRI scan results to distinguish between cancer cells and healthy organs, allowing targeted radiation therapy and preventing unnecessary damage.
This project was announced at the Seoul AI Summit on May 22. Chancellor Rishi Sunak called this “an example of harnessing the potential of AI to help humanity”.
The UK poured 15.5 million pounds into the National Health Service (NHS) to deploy artificial intelligence across the country, ambitiously becoming the leading country in AI innovation in healthcare. Prime Minister Sunak hopes doctors will consider the AI’s assessment before offering any treatment, helping to minimize medical staff time.
Artificial intelligence looks at CT or MRI scans to distinguish between cancer cells and healthy organs. Image: Stock Image
Currently, doctors in the UK still manually mark areas that need radiation treatment in cancer patients to ensure they do not damage healthy organs. Officials said the use of technology will be an important step to help save time for this process and reduce the waiting list for examination.
“The UK has a record number of people suspected of having cancer. Landmark tools such as AI are helping the NHS make significant progress in tackling patient queues,” said Dr Imogen Locke, radiotherapy specialist. of NHS England, said.