A study published in Radiology found that breast radiologists had a slight higher diagnostic performance when using artificial intelligence (AI) with no additional time required.
Screening digital mammograms from 240 women (median age, 62 years; range, 39–89 years) performed between 2013 and 2017 were analyzed in this study. The mammograms were interpreted with and without AI support.
The researchers found that the cancer detection improved for all breast densities, and was independent of lesion type, vendor image quality, when radiologists used AI and interestingly did not lengthen interpretation time. The radiologists’ detection slightly improved when using AI support, with the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) increasing form 0,87 to 0.89. Sensitivity increased with AI support 86% vs. 83%, whereas specificity improved slightly 79% vs. 77%. Reading time per case was for all practical purposes identical (unaided, 146 seconds; supported by AI, 149 seconds).
The researchers concluded that AI assisted interpreting radiologists and improved their cancer detection at mammography when using AI without adding to the interpetation time.
