What the results say: more findings with AI

Of the many clinical studies, the authors highlight one in particular that they prepared last year with the University Hospital in Martin. Physicians first evaluated the images without assistance and, after a time interval, the same images with AI assistance. Result: almost every physician was more accurate with AI and found more findings, with the overall increase in accuracy reaching approximately 15 %. Importantly, according to the authors, working with the tool hardly affected their decision-making ability. However, the numbers make sense primarily when they translate into everyday practice.

In practice: from the night emergency department to the outpatient clinic

A typical situation arises at night in the emergency department: a patient injures a leg after tripping, the clinical picture is nonspecific, and the image must be examined for fine fracture lines. AI alerts to the suspicious area and directs the physician to additional examination. Similarly, in a hand injury, the system can add confidence for a less experienced surgeon while the radiologist is reporting a CT or MRI. When pneumonia is suspected, the chest X-ray tool can highlight problematic areas and help with faster decision-making until the report arrives.

Emergency departments and acute outpatient clinics are often staffed by young physicians without many years of experience in interpreting images, and senior colleagues may not be immediately available. AI can then remind them of even subtle findings, such as subcutaneous air after trauma, which may signal a hidden injury and the need for further management. Repeated visits to hospitals indicate that patient overload and a lack of time hinder both learning and consultations. The goal is therefore clear: to give physicians greater confidence, reduce missed diagnoses, help train younger colleagues, and ultimately let the most important party — the patient — benefit.