Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Will radiologists be the losers in a healthcare future driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning? That's the provocative idea raised by a new article we're featuring in our Imaging Informatics Community.
Noted healthcare commentator Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, PhD, co-authored an opinion piece in the New England Journal of Medicine last week in which he stated that machine learning will "displace much of the work" of physicians who primarily work with digitized images -- such as radiologists.
Dr. Emanuel believes that machine learning will take over medicine, simultaneously revolutionizing and disrupting how healthcare is provided. This future will come sooner rather than later, he believes.
But are his predictions realistic? Decide for yourself after reading our article, which you can reach by clicking here, or go to informatics.auntminnie.com. And be sure to check out the spirited discussion in our Forums by clicking here.
Contrast boosts breast US
Adding contrast to breast ultrasound scans can help differentiate malignant from benign lesions, according to a new article we're featuring in our Ultrasound Community.
Researchers from China performed a meta-analysis of nearly 30 studies involving some 2,000 patients. They found that adding contrast to breast ultrasound helps raise its specificity from 40% to 80% -- on top of sensitivity of around 90%.
When the data were divided between first- and second-generation products, the difference was even more dramatic, with specificity of 85% for the newer agents compared with 77% for older ones.
Read more by clicking here, or visit the community at ultrasound.auntminnie.com.
Last chance to vote in the Minnies
Have you voted yet in the Best Radiology Image competition in the Minnies? If not, you have just a few days left -- go over to our Facebook page by clicking here, and click "like" on the image you like best.
