Researchers and clinicians at the University of Oxford have begun an evaluation of AI software that could help pathologists diagnose prostate cancer. In the UK, around 46,000 new cases of prostate cancer are reported each year, an increase of 12 percent over the past 10 years.
Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) is testing the technology in what is now a clinical setting, the university announced in a press release On. This is an important milestone in it ARTICULATE PRO study led by the University of Oxford.
This two-year project aims to investigate the deployment of AI in the prostate cancer pathway using Paige Prostate. The instrument is a computer-aided diagnostic system designed to help pathologists locate, grade and measure tumors in prostate biopsies, or tissue samples. Two other NHS trusts – University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and North Bristol NHS Trust – will also assess the Paige Prostate Suite software.
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Strive for accurate diagnosis
The technology should immediately alert pathologists to suspicious areas by identifying the characteristics of malignant cells captured by previous training in large data sets of biopsies. It also assesses the amount of tumor present and how aggressive it appears.
The project is led by Clare Verrill, an Oxford urologic histopathologist. She said: “One of our key goals in healthcare is to diagnose cancers accurately and at an earlier stage, so that treatment can proceed more quickly and ultimately improve patient outcomes. If we can use this diagnostic technology to achieve this, it will be great news for patients.”
Impact on the workflow
“That is why this evaluation – one of the first of its kind – is an important step. We will not only look at how well this software performs in a busy clinical environment and whether it improves diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, but also assess the clinician and patient experience and look at the impact on workflow.” For example, OUH pathologists use the AI applications to help read prostate biopsy slides as part of their routine work.
She added: “In 2020, OUH’s histopathology laboratory was one of the first in the UK to reach the milestone of scanning 100 per cent of its surgical histology workload. Our experience in digital pathology makes us an ideal environment to test AI technologies such as Paige Prostate Suite in a real clinical environment.”
