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Can AI Replace Hospital Radiologists? (cnn.com)
An anonymous reader quotes CNN:
Radiologists, who receive years of training and are some of the highest paid doctors, are among the first physicians who will have to adapt as artificial intelligence expands into health care... Today radiologists face a deluge of data as they serve patients. When Jim Brink, radiologist in chief at Massachusetts General Hospital, entered the field in the late 1980s, radiologists had to examine 20 to 50 images for CT and PET scans. Now, there can be as many as 1,000 images for one scan. The work can be tedious, making it prone to error. The added imagery also makes it harder for radiologists to use their time efficiently... The remarkable power of today's computers has raised the question of whether humans should even act as radiologists. Geoffrey Hinton, a legend in the field of artificial intelligence, went so far as to suggest that schools should stop training radiologists.
X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds and PET scans do improve patient care -- but they also drive up costs. And now one medical imaging startup can read a heart MRI in 15 seconds, a procedure which takes a human 45 minutes. Massachusetts General Hospital is already assembling data to train algorithms to spot 25 common scenarios. But Brinks predicts that ultimately AI will become more of a sophisticated diagnostic aid, flagging images that humans should examine more closely, while leaving radiologists with more time for interacting with patients and medical staff.
X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds and PET scans do improve patient care -- but they also drive up costs. And now one medical imaging startup can read a heart MRI in 15 seconds, a procedure which takes a human 45 minutes. Massachusetts General Hospital is already assembling data to train algorithms to spot 25 common scenarios. But Brinks predicts that ultimately AI will become more of a sophisticated diagnostic aid, flagging images that humans should examine more closely, while leaving radiologists with more time for interacting with patients and medical staff.
It costs about $500 for an hour long MRI, including the tech to run the scanner. We used to joke that the radiologists made $250 for sticking a film up on the screen (that was fifteen years ago or so). They're a little slower now, but they can still read most scans in closer to five minutes than half an hour.
* Figures may vary in crazy parts of the world, such as the USA.
I'm a radiologist.
Radiologists manage the electromagnetic & ultrasound spectra for the benefit of patients. We help make sure your test is both useful and safe. MRIs used fields 30-60,000x as powerful as the Earth's field and RF energy for your scan. If you've ever seen foil in a microwave or a rail gun, you could imagine what could go wrong. We decide what kind of test you should get (many options here, types of MRI sequences, radiotracers for nuclear medicine scans, using IV contrast) to best inform your other doctors based on your medical history and we perform image-guided procedures expertly because we understand the imaging better than anyone. We minimize your radiation dose by adjusting & modifying protocols, protect your kidneys from unnecessary IV contrast, and consult w/ your surgeon to help them plan your care - not to mention research better imaging techniques. Interpreting images is an important part of our jobs, but keeping you safe and your other doctors well-informed are a big part of what we do today, and will probably do into the future. At the point that radiologists are completely unnecessary, you'll have terminators taking many people's jobs.