AI-Powered โSystem dramatically Improves Early Lung โCancer detection at Inova Schar
FALLS โCHURCH, VA – A new artificial intelligenceโค (AI) system at Inova Schar Cancer Institute is โคsignificantly accelerating lung cancer detection and improving patientโ outcomes, โขaccording to hospital officials.โค The โฃsystem, coupled with robotic bronchoscopy, has led to a considerable increase in the number of lung cancers identified atโค earlier, more treatable stages.
Traditionally,โ incidental nodules discovered during emergency room imaging often faced delayed follow-up. Now, the AI analyzes scans, flagging perhaps cancerous nodules based on characteristics like whether thay are “spiculated,” โฃmeaning their edges appear irregular or spiky – a common indicator of malignancy.
“While benignโข nodules usually have smooth borders, aโ spiculated nodule’s edges appear irregular, โคor spiky, whichโ often suggests the lesion is malignant,” explained Dr. Mahajan of Inova Schar.
The AI then utilizes the โฃBrock โคModel to calculate a patient’s risk of lung cancer, providing a percentage. “Anyone over 5%, we call,โข and โget them into the clinic right away, most of the time in the same week,” Dr. Mahajan stated.This rapid triage โminimizes the risk of patients “falling through the cracks.”
The system also creates guideline-based care plans and โคsends alerts to doctors and nurse navigators, ensuring patients โremain on scheduleโ for necesaryโ screenings.โฃ
AI is also revolutionizing the diagnostic process โitself. Robotic bronchoscopy, guided โby โAI and controlled with a handheldโค device described โas “as close to an โขXbox controllerโค as you can get,” allows physicians to reach even small nodulesโฃ deep within the lungs. “There’s โคadvancedโฃ imaging associated as โขwell, and with the robotic โฃplatform, we canโ pretty much reach anything in the lung nowadays,” Dr.โ Mahajanโ added.
the results have been striking. Inova Schar โreports that 69% of lung cancers are now detected at Stage 1 or 2, a significant jump from 34% before the implementation of low-dose CT screening โand proactive nodule โขfollow-up.
“Our goal is to get a patient with a newly-diagnosed lung cancer evaluated as soon as possible, to get them into surgery,” said Melanie โSubramanian, a thoracic surgeon โat Inova Schar. “It’s notโ only better for treating the disease, โขbut it also gives patients a peace of mind โtoo, knowing thatโข they have โa โขtreatment plan and a โขtreatment team.”
Resection, surgical removal of affected lung tissue, remains the โmost effective treatment for lung cancer that hasn’t spread. โฃ The institute’s early detection โefforts have resulted in many patients โbeing diagnosed withโ early-stage disease and โsuccessfullyโ treated with surgery.
