AI Identifies Non-Smokers at High Risk for Lung Cancer from Single Chest X-Ray
By MedImaging International staff writers Posted on 08 Dec 2023 |
Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer mortality. Notably, 10-20% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in individuals classified as "never-smokers" – those who have either never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. The prevalence of lung cancer in never-smokers is increasing, and these cases are often more advanced at the time of discovery due to the lack of early detection methods typically used for smokers. Now, a new study has found that an artificial intelligence (AI) tool is capable of identifying non-smokers at high risk for lung cancer by analyzing routine chest X-ray images.
Conducted by the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH, Boston, MA, USA), this study aimed to enhance the prediction of lung cancer risk in never-smokers. The research team employed a deep learning model, a sophisticated form of AI, to analyze chest X-ray images from the electronic medical record, searching for patterns indicative of disease. The deep learning model, named "CXR-Lung-Risk," was trained using 147,497 chest X-rays from 40,643 asymptomatic individuals, both smokers and never-smokers. This model was designed to assess lung-related mortality risk from a single chest X-ray.
The effectiveness of the model was then tested on a separate cohort of never-smokers who underwent routine outpatient chest X-rays between 2013 and 2014. The primary measure was the incidence of lung cancer within six years, identified via International Classification of Disease codes. The model categorized the risk scores into low, moderate, and high-risk groups based on predetermined risk thresholds. In the study group of 17,407 patients, averaging 63 years of age, the model classified 28% as high risk, and within this group, 2.9% later had a diagnosis of lung cancer. The high-risk group surpassed the 1.3% six-year risk threshold where lung cancer screening CT is recommended by the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. After taking into account age, sex, race, previous lower respiratory tract infection, and prevalent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the high-risk group still had a 2.1 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than the low-risk group.
"This AI tool opens the door for opportunistic screening for never-smokers at high risk of lung cancer, using existing chest X-rays in the electronic medical record," said senior author Michael T. Lu, M.D., M.P.H., director of artificial intelligence and co-director of CIRC at MGH. "Since cigarette smoking rates are declining, approaches to detect lung cancer early in those who do not smoke are going to be increasingly important."
Related Links:
MGH
Latest Radiography News
- Novel Breast Imaging System Proves As Effective As Mammography
- AI Assistance Improves Breast-Cancer Screening by Reducing False Positives
- AI Could Boost Clinical Adoption of Chest DDR
- 3D Mammography Almost Halves Breast Cancer Incidence between Two Screening Tests
- AI Model Predicts 5-Year Breast Cancer Risk from Mammograms
- Deep Learning Framework Detects Fractures in X-Ray Images With 99% Accuracy
- Direct AI-Based Medical X-Ray Imaging System a Paradigm-Shift from Conventional DR and CT
- Chest X-Ray AI Solution Automatically Identifies, Categorizes and Highlights Suspicious Areas
- AI Diagnoses Wrist Fractures As Well As Radiologists
- Annual Mammography Beginning At 40 Cuts Breast Cancer Mortality By 42%
- 3D Human GPS Powered By Light Paves Way for Radiation-Free Minimally-Invasive Surgery
- Novel AI Technology to Revolutionize Cancer Detection in Dense Breasts
- AI Solution Provides Radiologists with 'Second Pair' Of Eyes to Detect Breast Cancers
- AI Helps General Radiologists Achieve Specialist-Level Performance in Interpreting Mammograms
- Novel Imaging Technique Could Transform Breast Cancer Detection
- Computer Program Combines AI and Heat-Imaging Technology for Early Breast Cancer Detection