There are no standards requiring radiologists to report on the presence of BACs, even though up to half of referring providers have indicated they would prefer to be made aware of the finding. 

Breast artery calcifications are already visible when radiologists review mammograms, but nothing typically happens with them. Researchers aimed to see if AI could help translate those findings into an easy-to-understand cardiovascular risk score.

Despite the great progress that has been made toward the clinical implementation of AI, new data caution against trusting the technology as a single reader in certain settings.

They announced the collaboration on Tuesday, hoping to simplify “complex workflows” such as patient placement, image scanning, and quality checks. 

Unionized nurses: ‘AI overrides our expertise and degrades the quality of care.’ 

AI has a long way to go before it meaningfully closes disparities in healthcare access and delivery. In fact, even when aimed at that goal, the technology can backfire. 

AI has already made a massive impact on healthcare, especially in the fields of cardiology and radiology. With the FDA clearing more and more algorithms, this trend is only expected to grow as time goes on.

As the use of AI in imaging continues to grow, it’s “become clear" that real world performance of these products can defer from premarket testing, experts note.