The National Department of Health is considering the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite the screening and diagnosis of TB and silicosis, after hosting a conference last week it described as “a pivotal platform for robust engagement, knowledge sharing, and innovation to accelerate progress towards ending TB”.
It follows on the backdrop of recommendations from the World Health Organisation for member states to use computer-aided detection software (CAD) to interpret chest X-rays when screening and triaging for tuberculosis, reports ITWeb.
TB experts and key stakeholders at the conference discussed how AI could enhance the diagnosis of both TB and silicosis, and address existing backlogs, especially among people who contracted occupational health diseases while working in the mines.
Although South Africa has made significant strides in the fight against TB since 2010, as evidenced by the slow but steady decline in TB incidence and mortality, the incidence of TB, estimated by the WHO to be 468 per 100 000 of the population in 2022, remains stubbornly high.
The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape have the highest incidence rates: 692, 685 and 681 per 100 000, respectively.
The department said the conference, held under the theme Dust and Infection-free Lungs: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for TB and Silicosis, was part of its efforts to eradicate the killer diseases.
“This is an opportune time to help the country gain awareness of the Computer Aided Detection diagnostic tools to assist towards the End TB Goal by 2035. Chest radiography remains an essential tool for screening and evaluating diseases of the Chest,” it said.
The need to adopt AI has been necessitated by the shortcomings in current radiological methods, including chest X-rays that have been integral in diagnosing TB and silicosis among mineworkers, it added.
“These methods have limitations, especially in differentiating between TB and silicosis, due to their similar radiological presentations as well as silico-tuberculosis.”
IT Web article – South Africa explores using AI tools to eradicate TB (Open access)
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