NEW YORK – The UK's Department of Health and Social Care on Tuesday said it will begin a clinical trial in 700,000 patients to evaluate the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools to assist radiologists in screening patients for breast cancer.
In current practice in the UK, two radiologists are involved in screening each mammogram. The aim of the Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) trial is to allow a single radiologist to conduct the same screening with AI assistance, thereby allowing each radiologist to screen more patients. The trial is backed by £11 million ($13.8 million) in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
"This landmark trial could lead to a significant step forward in the early detection of breast cancer, offering women faster, more accurate diagnoses when it matters most," Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care and executive officer of the NIHR, said in a statement.
The trial coincides with an announcement of a new plan in the UK to address the cancer burden through a combination of research, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies, and it follows the recent announcement of a new AI Opportunities Action Plan. According to the UK's Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, the government aims to use AI to "repair broken public services" and advance the government's action plan. Under that plan, the National Health Service has set a target to confirm a cancer diagnosis or give the all-clear within 28 days of referral for 80 percent of patients, an increase from the current target of 77 percent.