The study, which was carried out by a group of scientists and medical experts, has shown how effectively an AI tool can provide crucial information to help surgeons during brain tumor surgery.
The AI technology finds important traits and patterns that can help with surgical decision-making by evaluating complicated information and applying cutting-edge algorithms.
AI tool for brain tumor management
According to a study that was written up in a respectable scientific journal, the AI technology accurately and successfully detected particular traits including brain tumor margins, infiltration patterns, and nearby essential structures. These discoveries could completely alter how surgeons approach removing brain tumors, reducing the possibility of harming healthy brain tissue and increasing the efficiency of the operation.
In the fight against deadly brain tumors, medical professionals now have access to an AI tool. It helps doctors zero in on the most instructive features before doing surgery.
Gliomas are particularly aggressive brain tumors, and the Cryosection Histopathology Assessment and Review Machine (CHARM) is a cutting-edge instrument that can swiftly analyze images to determine their unique genetic profile. Presently, this procedure can take weeks.
A paper published in Med on July 7 was led by Kun-Hsing Yu, who offered insight into how precise diagnoses help surgeons plan their procedures.
Although the technology might not be as accurate as current genetic tests, it can quickly forecast a tumor’s profile. Yu explains that this rapid analysis saves doctors time by allowing them to move forward with the right treatment without arranging and executing unnecessary extra surgeries.
In addition to identifying the aggressiveness of a tumor and its grade, CHARM can tell the difference between malignant and benign tumor cells. These are the kinds of judgments made by human pathologists during operations. Yu, however, claims that using CHARM during surgery would not necessitate waiting around for a pathologist or having one present for longer than ten to fifteen minutes.
Additionally, over 2,300 glioma samples from 1,524 patients were used in the development of CHARM. This data “taught” CHARM what to search for in future tumor samples.
When applied to a fresh batch of brain samples, CHARM showed a 93% success rate in identifying tumors harboring certain molecular changes and sorting them into the three main categories of gliomas, all of which can be treated differently.
Perhaps most importantly, CHARM is quick; a recent study published in Med found that in some situations, it might deliver an accurate examination of tumor cells in less than a second.
Untreated cases of glioma, especially the deadly glioblastoma variety, can result in death in under six months. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, just 17% of those diagnosed with glioblastoma survive into the second year.
Training CHARM;promising advances?
Yu and his team have trained a machine-learning system on sample images from brain surgeries, then checked its results against actual patient diagnoses to ensure its efficacy. When compared to other AI systems, CHARM performed exceptionally well in recognizing tumour genetic profiles.
Surgeons rely largely on the genetic profile of a glioma tumour when deciding on the quantity of tissue excision and whether or not to utilize drug-coated wafers in the treatment of glioma tumors. The current state of affairs makes it a lengthy task to acquire this data.
To improve cancer detection and therapy, Yu and his colleagues have been conducting research that is adding to a wide variety of AI-based projects. Particular systems’ strengths in reliably identifying people at increased risk of pancreatic, lung, and breast cancer were highlighted in an editorial published in the June issue of the Lancet Oncology.
With its potential applications extending across numerous medical disciplines, AI’s integration in healthcare is continuing to advance quickly. The effective application of artificial intelligence to help surgeons remove brain tumors marks a huge advance in customized medicine and emphasizes the limitless opportunities that open up when technology and healthcare collide.
As this area of study develops, scientists and medical experts are excited about the potential applications of utilizing AI tools to better surgical interventions, enhance patient outcomes, and ultimately aid in the battle against aggressive brain tumors.
