High Accuracy AI Model Offers Hope for Patients Struggling with Spirometry

A chest X-ray is a common medical test that people worldwide have taken. It helps doctors detect some diseases like lung cancer and tuberculosis. But it cannot determine how well the lungs are working. A research group at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Medicine has recently developed an artificial intelligence model. This model accurately estimates lung function from chest radiographs.  

This research was recently published in The Lancet Digital Health. 

Lung function is typically measured using a device known as a spirometer. It requires patient cooperation and specific instructions. But it can be difficult for some patients, such as babies and dementia patients. These individuals have difficulty with following instructions 

In this study, researchers used the data of 140,000 chest radiographs and developed an AI model. They compared the AI model’s estimates with actual the spirometric data to improve its accuracy.  

When researchers observed the collected data to check the results, they found that they were very good, with a high agreement rate and a correlation coefficient of over 0.90. This suggests that the AI model is promising for practical use. This AI model can help doctors assess lung function in patients who struggle with spirometry. 

One of the researchers said that their method can accurately estimate lung function by using only static information from chest X-rays. This is considerable because normally lung function is evaluated through tests that require physical exertion from patients. 

This artificial intelligence model can accurately shows the functions by just using chest radiographs. It does not require patients to folly any instructions. Hence is helpful for infants and people with dementia as they can’t properly follow the instructions. Healthcare professionals should learn more about this model.