On January 9, 2025, a significant study published in the journal Nature Medicine revealed advancements in breast cancer detection through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Conducted in Germany, the research involved 461,818 women aged 50 to 69 who underwent breast cancer screenings from July 2021 to February 2023.
The study compared the performance of radiologists using AI-supported image viewers against those relying solely on traditional methods. The AI system categorized breast screenings as normal, suspicious, or unclassified. Results indicated that radiologists utilizing AI detected seven breast cancer cases per 1,000 women, a 17.6 percent increase over the six cases identified by those without AI assistance.
According to cancer epidemiologist Alexander Katalinic from the University of Lubeck, the AI's performance was at least equivalent to human readers, with improved detection rates and no increase in false positives. The AI tool also serves as a safeguard, alerting healthcare professionals to potential misjudgments by radiologists.
Co-author Stefan Bunk, a co-founder of the AI software company Vara, highlighted the technology's capacity to reduce false positive results and decrease the workload for radiologists, enhancing overall efficiency in cancer screenings.