Lung cancer caught early thanks to AI
AI detected lung cancer missed by doctors, helping save a woman’s life with early treatment.
A 69-year-old woman from Surrey has credited AI with saving her life after it detected lung cancer that human radiologists initially missed.
The software flagged a concerning anomaly in a chest X-ray that had been given the all-clear, prompting urgent follow-up and surgery.
NHS hospitals increasingly use AI tools like Annalise.ai, which analyses scans and prioritises urgent cases for radiologists.
Dianne Covey, whose tumour was caught at stage one, avoided chemotherapy or radiotherapy and has since made a full recovery.
With investments exceeding £36 million, the UK government and NHS are rapidly deploying AI to improve cancer diagnosis rates and reduce waiting times. AI has now been trialled or implemented across more than 45 NHS trusts and is also used for skin and prostate cancer detection.
Doctors and technologists say AI is not replacing medical professionals but enhancing their capabilities by highlighting critical cases and improving speed.
Experts warn that outdated machines, biassed training data and over-reliance on consumer AI tools remain risks to patient outcomes.
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