AI assistance in diagnostics

Diagnosis accuracy
With all the advances in medicine, effective disease
diagnosis is still considered a challenge on a global scale.
The development of early diagnostic tools is an ongoing
challenge due to the complexity of the various disease
mechanisms and the underlying symptoms. AI can
revolutionize different aspects of health care, including
diagnosis. ML is an area of AI that uses data as an input
resource in which the accuracy is highly dependent on the
quantity as well as the quality of the input data that can
combat some of the challenges and complexity of diagnosis
[9]. ML, in short, can assist in decision-making, manage
workflow, and automate tasks in a timely and cost-effective
manner. Also, deep learning added layers utilizing
Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and data mining
techniques that help identify data patterns. These are highly
applicable in identifying key disease detection patterns
among big datasets. These tools are highly applicable in
healthcare systems for diagnosing, predicting, or classifying
diseases [10].
AI is still in its early stages of being fully utilized for medical
diagnosis. However, more data are emerging for the
application of AI in diagnosing different diseases, such as
cancer. A study was published in the UK where authors
input a large dataset of mammograms into an AI system for
breast cancer diagnosis. This study showed that utilizing an
AI system to interpret mammograms had an absolute
reduction in false positives and false negatives by 5.7% and
9.4%, respectively [11]. Another study was conducted in
South Korea, where authors compared AI diagnoses of
breast cancer versus radiologists. The AI-utilized diagnosis
was more sensitive to diagnose breast cancer with mass
compared to radiologists, 90% vs. 78%, respectively. Also,
AI was better at detecting early breast cancer (91%) than
radiologists 74% [12].
Furthermore, a study utilized deep learning to detect skin
cancer which showed that an AI using CNN accurately
diagnosed melanoma cases compared to dermatologists and
recommended treatment options [13, 14]. Researchers
utilized AI technology in many other disease states, such as
detecting diabetic retinopathy [15] and EKG abnormality
and predicting risk factors for cardiovascular diseases
[16, 17]. Furthermore, deep learning algorithms are used to
detect pneumonia from chest radiography with sensitivity
and specificity of 96% and 64% compared to radiologists
50% and 73%, respectively [18]. Also, a study was done on a
dataset of 625 cases to diagnose acute appendicitis early to
predict the need for appendix surgery using various ML
techniques; the results showed that the random forest
algorithm achieved the highest performance, accurately
predicting appendicitis in 83.75% of cases, with a precision
of 84.11%, sensitivity of 81.08%, and specificity of 81.01%.
The improved method aids healthcare specialists in making
informed decisions for appendicitis diagnoses and
treatment. Furthermore, the authors suggest that similar
techniques can be utilized to analyze images of patients with
appendicitis or even to detect infections such as COVID-19
using blood specimens or images [19].
AI tools can improve accuracy, reduce costs, and save time
compared to traditional diagnostic methods. Additionally,
AI can reduce the risk of human errors and provide more
accurate results in less time. In the future, AI technology
could be used to support medical decisions by providing
clinicians with real-time assistance and insights.
Researchers continue exploring ways to use AI in medical
diagnosis and treatment, such as analyzing medical images,
X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. By leveraging ML techniques,
AI can also help identify abnormalities, detect fractures,
tumors, or other conditions, and provide quantitative
measurements for faster and more accurate medical
diagnosis.
Clinical laboratory testing provides critical information for
diagnosing, treating, and monitoring diseases. It is an
essential part of modern healthcare which continuously
incorporates new technology to support clinical decision-
making and patient safety [20]. AI has the potential to
transform clinical laboratory testing by improving the
accuracy, speed, and efficiency of laboratory processes. The
role of AI in clinical microbiology is currently progressing
and expanding. Several ML systems were developed to
detect, identify, and quantify microorganisms, diagnose and
classify diseases, and predict clinical outcomes. These ML
systems used data from various sources to build the AI
diagnosis such as genomic data of microorganisms, gene
sequencing, metagenomic sequencing results of the original
specimen, and microscopic imaging [21]. Moreover, gram
stain classification to gram positives/negatives and
cocci/rods is another essential application of using deep
convolutional neural networks that reveal high sensitivity
and specificity [22]. A published systematic review showed
that numerous MLs were evaluated for microorganism
identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing; however,
several limitations are associated with the current models
that must be addressed before incorporating them into
clinical practice [23]. For malaria, Taesik et al. found that
using ML algorithms combined with digital in-line
holographic microscopy (DIHM) effectively detected
malaria-infected red blood cells without staining. This AI
technology is rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective in
diagnosing malaria [24].
The projected benefits of using AI in clinical laboratories
include but are not limited to, increased efficacy and
precision. Automated techniques in blood cultures,
susceptibility testing, and molecular platforms have become
standard in numerous laboratories globally, contributing
significantly to laboratory efficiency [21, 25]. Automation
and AI have substantially improved laboratory efficiency in
areas like blood cultures, susceptibility testing, and
molecular platforms. This allows for a result within the first
24 to 48 h, facilitating the selection of suitable antibiotic
treatment for patients with positive blood cultures [21, 26].
Consequently, incorporating AI in clinical microbiology
laboratories can assist in choosing appropriate antibiotic
treatment regimens, a critical factor in achieving high cure
rates for various infectious diseases [21, 26].
ML research in medicine has rapidly expanded, which could
greatly help the healthcare providers in the emergency
department (ED) as they face challenging difficulties from
the rising burden of diseases, greater demand for time and
health services, higher societal expectations, and increasing
health expenditures [27]. Emergency department providers
understand that integrating AI into their work processes is
necessary for solving these problems by enhancing
efficiency, and accuracy, and improving patient outcomes
[28, 29]. Additionally, there may be a chance for algorithm
support and automated decision-making to optimize ED
flow measurements and resource allocation [30]. AI
algorithms can analyze patient data to assist with triaging
patients based on urgency; this helps prioritize high-risk
cases, reducing waiting times and improving patient flow
[31]. Introducing a reliable symptom assessment tool can
rule out other causes of illness to reduce the number of
unnecessary visits to the ED. A series of AI-enabled
machines can directly question the patient, and a sufficient
explanation is provided at the end to ensure appropriate
assessment and plan.
Moreover, AI-powered decision support systems can
provide real-time suggestions to healthcare providers,
aiding diagnosis, and treatment decisions. Patients are
evaluated in the ED with little information, and physicians
frequently must weigh probabilities when risk stratifying
and making decisions. Faster clinical data interpretation is
crucial in ED to classify the seriousness of the situation and
the need for immediate intervention. The risk of
misdiagnosing patients is one of the most critical problems
affecting medical practitioners and healthcare systems.
Diagnostic mistakes in the healthcare sector can be
expensive and fatal. A study found that diagnostic errors,
particularly in patients who visit the ED, directly contribute
to a greater mortality rate and a more extended hospital
stay [32]. Fortunately, AI can assist in the early detection of
patients with life-threatening diseases and promptly alert
clinicians so the patients can receive immediate attention.
Lastly, AI can help optimize health care sources in the ED
by predicting patient demand, optimizing therapy selection
(medication, dose, route of administration, and urgency of
intervention), and suggesting emergency department length
of stay. By analyzing patient-specific data, AI systems can
offer insights into optimal therapy selection, improving
efficiency and reducing overcrowding.