Experts in Scotland have developed groundbreaking Artificial
Intelligence (AI) technology which is capable of accurately diagnosing
COVID-19 in just a few minutes, much quicker than a PCR test.
The
research, by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), uses X-ray
technology, comparing scans to a database of around 3,000 images,
belonging to patients with COVID- 19, healthy individuals and people with viral pneumonia.
It then uses an AI process, an algorithm typically used to analyse visual imagery, to make a diagnosis.
It is hoped the new technology can relieve pressure on health
systems, particularly in countries where PCR tests are hard to source.
Experts say during testing this technique was found to be more than 98% accurate in detecting the virus.
Leader of the project, Professor Naeem Ramzan, director of the
Affective and Human Computing for SMART Environments Research Centre at
UWS, said: "There has long been a need for a quick and reliable tool
that can detect COVID-19, and this has become even more true with the
upswing of the Omicron variant."
But he added, "COVID-19 symptoms are not visible in X-rays during the
early stages of infection, so it is important to note that the
technology cannot fully replace PCR tests".
"It could prove to be crucial, and potentially life-saving," he said.
Professor
Milan Radosavljevic, vice-principal of Research, Innovation and
Engagement at UWS, added the new technology was "potentially
game-changing research".
He said: "It's another example of the
purposeful, impactful work that has gone on at UWS throughout the
pandemic, making a genuine difference in the fight against COVID-19."
The researchers now plan to expand the study of their X-ray testing technique.
They will compare a larger number of X-ray images to see if the technology can be rolled out in hospitals and clinics.
Towards
the end of last year there were concerns about PCR test shortages in
England as availability struggled to keep up with increased demand over
the festive period.
If you would like to become a W³P Lives contributor, please fill out the contact form below. You may submit any email address; however, you will need a gmail to login to blogger.com and access the back end of the blog where posts are created.
If you do not want to submit your actual email, please create a gmail specifically for this purpose and submit it to us via the form below. It will skip a step, since a gmail will be required to login anyways.
After filling out the form keep any eye out for your email invitation in your inbox. Accept the invitation, login to blogger.com, and start making discussions.
Post a Comment