AI improves capturing and interpretation of ultrasound images: Study

UK: A new study conducted by James S. Bowness and colleagues suggests that the capture and interpretation of ultrasound images improved when an assistive artificial intelligence (AI) device was used. The findings of this study were published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia.

The use of ultrasound to see important landmarks, targets, and safety structures is a prerequisite for ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. However, this may be difficult, especially for practitioners who are just starting out. Ultrasound image interpretation is increasingly being done with the help of artificial intelligence. In this exploratory investigation, researchers assessed non-experts' abilities to do ultrasound scanning during ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia both with and without the use of an AI system.

For this study, the ultrasound scanning for six peripheral nerve blocks was taught to twenty-one anesthesiologists who were all novices in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Each person then carried out a scan for each block, performing half of them with and a half without AI support. The proper acquisition of each block view and the accurate identification of sono-anatomical features on each image were evaluated by experts. Scan confidence was reported by participants, experts supplied a global assessment score for the effectiveness of the scan, and scans were timed.