Scots woman diagnosed with cancer by AI technology after persistent cough

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A mum was diagnosed by AI - after her persistent cough turned out to be lung cancer.

Diane McCallum, 60, had been suffering with a cough and was referred for a chest X-ray at New Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow.

The AI software, qXR, detected an abnormality in her X-ray and prioritised it for radiologist examination.

Within hours, Diane was contacted and referred for a CT scan, which confirmed early-stage lung cancer.

The mum-of-three underwent robotic keyhole surgery at the Golden Jubilee Hospital to remove the upper lobe of her right lung.

She is now undergoing four rounds of preventive chemotherapy at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre to reduce the chance of any cancer returning.

Diane, an NHS worker from Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, said: "When I went for my X-ray in May I remember seeing a poster in the hospital explaining the trial using AI and even at that point I was really impressed.

"I had my X-ray at about 3.30pm, and by 9.15am the following day I'd had a phone call to say something had been found and that I was being referred for CT imaging.

"Everything about it was incredible, but the best thing for me was that X-ray.

"It just meant everything from that point was dealt with so quickly.

"It made such a difference for it all to happen within weeks rather than months and meant the cancer wasn't able to spread.

"My outcome is undoubtedly better than if it has been left there to get worse.

"Having the AI enhancement at the beginning of the process is life saving really.

"Who knows how it might have turned out without this AI."

Diane's diagnosis and treatment took around seven weeks in total.

AI was used to 'fast track' her X-ray image for the attention of clinicians rather than being sifted through along with hundreds of 'normal' images.

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde respiratory consultant Dr John MacLay said: "If you turn up for an X-ray in the traditional way, the report goes into one pile.

"With this AI software, it reads the X-ray quickly - almost immediately - and sorts the X-ray reports into two piles: a priority pile for patients where an abnormality has been detected in their X-ray, and one that is not quite as high a priority as no abnormalities have been found.

"We know that the quicker we get to the diagnosis of lung cancer the quicker we can manage it, and the less likely patients are to become incurable.

"Diane attended for an X-ray and her results would have gone into the fast reporting queue because of the abnormality it flagged.

"Within a few days she had a CT scan and came to see a respiratory physician, and then was treated for lung cancer with surgery in a matter of weeks - when often that pathway can run into months.

"It also meant her stage of lung cancer didn't migrate into a more significant stage that would become more difficult to treat."

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