M42's Capital Health Screening Centre Achieves 2,000 Daily AI-Assisted Chest X-Rays For TB Detection

M42 has announced a significant advancement at its Capital Health Screening Centre (CHSC), where they can now perform 2,000 AI-assisted chest X-rays daily for tuberculosis (TB) screening. This represents a tenfold increase over traditional methods. The development follows the introduction of AIRIS-TB, an AI-powered chest X-ray system unveiled in May 2024.

The integration of AI technology into TB screening at CHSC is supported by the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. These bodies have prepared regulatory standards to ensure accurate and effective use of these technologies. This initiative aims to enhance TB screening processes significantly.

The innovative AI system is currently in testing and not yet fully implemented across CHSC. It can distinguish between normal and abnormal chest X-rays with a sensitivity of 99.73 percent, flagging abnormalities for radiologist evaluation. This streamlines the diagnostic process, allowing radiologists to detect TB cases more quickly and accurately.

By optimising the model to reduce false negatives, results show a false negative rate of just 0.26 percent and a workload reduction of 37 percent. The system meets WHO-recommended sensitivity and specificity levels, enabling earlier detection and treatment, which saves lives and advances global health.

Dr. Andrew Jeremijenko, Medical Director at CHSC, stated that while the initial focus is on TB, the AI model could potentially be trained to detect other conditions like lung cancer, pneumonia, and emphysema. "This marks a significant step towards broader applications of AI in healthcare diagnostics," he said.

M42's deployment of AI aligns with its strategy to leverage data and technology for better health outcomes globally. By integrating AI into TB screening, CHSC enhances its diagnostic capabilities and positions itself as a leader in medical AI innovation.

Transformative Impact on Global Health

The use of advanced technologies like AIRIS-TB at CHSC highlights how innovation can overcome challenges posed by tuberculosis. Ali Al Saffar, CEO of Capital Health Screening Centre, remarked on the impact: "AIRIS-TB is set to be the most active AI system for chest X-rays in the world." He noted that it reduces manual workload for radiologists significantly.

Trained on millions of historical X-rays, this AI model offers remarkable accuracy and hope for achieving a TB-free future. The transformative power of such innovations contributes significantly to advancing global health and well-being.

This initiative not only enhances diagnostic efficiency but also sets new benchmarks in early detection and treatment efforts worldwide.

With inputs from WAM