Avenda Health has announced that its AI software is capable of detecting the extent of prostate cancer with greater precision than traditional diagnostic methods used by doctors.
In a recent study involving ten clinicians who evaluated 50 prostate cancer cases each, Avenda’s Unfold AI demonstrated an accuracy of 84.7% in identifying cancer, compared to a range of 67.2 to 75.9% for manual assessments performed by physicians.
The research, conducted in collaboration with UCLA Health and published in the Journal of Urology, highlighted that incorporating AI for cancer contouring significantly improved predictions of tumor size, with AI providing 45 times more accurate and consistent results than those without AI assistance.
Shyam Natarajan, an assistant adjunct professor of urology, surgery, and bioengineering at UCLA and the study’s senior author, stated that the integration of AI not only boosts the accuracy of diagnostics but also enhances consistency among doctors, making their assessments more aligned when using AI support.
Traditionally, physicians rely on MRIs to assess tumor size; however, some tumors are described as “MRI-invisible,” presenting a challenge for accurate detection. Dr. Wayne Brisbane, an assistant professor of urology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, explained that AI can fill in the gaps where MRI technology is insufficient.
Brisbane commented that implementing AI in cancer treatment could result in more effective, personalized patient care, aligning treatment plans with individual needs for better outcomes in combating the disease.
Dr. Shyam Natarajan, CEO of Avenda Health, expressed his enthusiasm for witnessing such innovations validated by research and acknowledged by the American Medical Association.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 men in the United States will face a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, with a mortality rate of approximately 1 in 44. This year alone, it is estimated that there will be 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S., with 35,250 fatalities from the disease.