X-rays for TB: AI achieves 95% accuracy
DHA’S SALEM SYSTEM REDUCED WAITING TIME IN ALL 20 DUBAI MEDICAL CENTRES LAST YEAR
DHA’s Salem system reduced waiting time in all 20 Dubai medical centres last year
The Salem Artificial Intelligence (AI) system achieved over 95 per cent accuracy in detecting infectious chest diseases during its trial phase in 2017, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said yesterday.
The system, launched by the DHA in collaboration with Agfa Health Care, introduced the chest X-ray reading algorithm to detect infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) among expatriates applying for new, or renewal of residence visa.
In the pilot phase, the algorithm was used in the Muhaisnah Medical Centre where it achieved 90 per cent accuracy in screening. In the second phase, it analysed random images from across all 20 medical fitness centres of the DHA and achieved 95 per cent accuracy and was able to achieve this success in less time, saving precious waiting time for customers and medical staff alike.
The DHA did not say how many people were found with active or old TB cases during this period.
Speaking at the Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition, Dr Maisa Abdul Karim Al Bustani, director of medical fitness at DHA, said the Salem AI algorithm would soon be in the roll-out phase across all centres. Currently, the algorithm is focused on infectious chest diseases owing to the government law in disallowing those with infectious chest diseases during the mandatory medical screening for residence visas.
“Over two million visitors come into Dubai and the medical fitness centres handle one million chest X-rays. Our doctors are handling over 5,000 chest X-rays every day. This unique algorithm flags the ‘problem’ X-rays allowing for the healthy ones to be segregated from those that are marked, saving an incredible amount of time and labour.”
Dr Al Bustani added that once the Salem AI was rolled out by next year, DHA would be gradually moving towards centres with zero human interference in screening.
Dr Mohammad Abdul Qader Al Reda, director at the executive office for organisational transformation at DHA, said that eventually there would be other algorithms created for flagging retinopathy damage in the eyes of diabetics, analysing pixel data, as well as heart and brain strokes that will give advance warning.
David Hatton, regional IT director at Agfa Health Care, added that their organisation has been working with DHA since 2015 and it has taken Xray screening of millions of people to develop the specific algorithm.
“We will be creating multiple algorithms for screening of different health conditions eventually,” Dr Al Reda said.