As the effects of AI on various industries continue to astound us, civic doctors in Mumbai report that in the previous two years, AI has assisted in the early detection of tuberculosis, even in those who did not display any symptoms. In an interview with the Times of India, Dr. Mangala Gomare, executive health officer for the BMC, stated that “about 35% of our confirmed TB cases were incidentally detected, that is, they were part of a non-TB group of patients.” These patients underwent an x-ray scan that was monitored by AI software while they were at the civic healthcare facility for other purposes.
Around 1 lakh individuals underwent AI-powered x-ray scans for the pilot study’s TB diagnosis at nine BMC facilities in 2021 and 2022. This investigation was started by BMC and the digital start-up business qure.ai. The AI engine will identify the x-ray scans that appear to be TB patches after reviewing lakhs of TB chest x-ray reports. AI-based screening is really helpful for us to get an early diagnosis, even when the patient may only have minor symptoms, according to Dr. Gomare.
According to research, 40% of TB cases in the early stages are asymptomatic, according to Dr. Shibu of qure.ai. He continued, “A patient would not be asked to undergo a sputum test unless they were asymptomatic, but with AI-supported x-ray scans, one can detect TB at the earliest stage and ensure treatment begins early.”
As part of the experiment, civic hospitals’ AI-powered x-ray machines have screened about 57,781 people. 10,225 persons were identified as possibly having TB. Only 2,376 people showed up when 9,702 were requested to return for the clinical assessment and sputum collection to confirm the diagnosis, and of them, 704 had a confirmed diagnosis of TB. With the achievement of this initiative, which may be referred to as a milestone in the health industry, the BMC is anticipated to establish long-term relationships with other AI businesses.
