Posted on 21 มีนาคม 2024
Pulmonary diseases such as lung cancer, tuberculosis, and pneumonia are leading causes of death in Thailand, often due to late diagnosis. Chest x-ray images are widely recognized as a convenient, cost-effective, and safe diagnostic tool. However, accurate interpretation of these images requires experienced experts, which are scarce in hospitals and health centers in remote areas.
To address this challenge, Inspectra CXR was developed as a solution. Inspectra CXR is a real-time AI-powered system designed for chest x-ray image interpretation. The system was developed by a team of scientists at the KMUTT Institute of Field Robotics (FIBO) in partnership with Perceptra Company Limited, a deep tech startup.
Dr. Warasinee Chaisangmongkon, a lecturer at FIBO, explains that Inspectra CXR’s algorithms can accurately detect up to 8 abnormalities in chest x-ray images. Doctors can conveniently access the system through a web application on their secured smartphones or tablets. Inspectra CXR enables hospitals with a shortage of radiology experts to provide early and accurate diagnoses to their patients, thus increasing the chances of survival.
“AI does not replace physicians,” says Dr. Warasinee. “It provides a decision-supporting system to doctors who perform diagnoses. It helps doctors interpret images faster, minimizes human errors, and reduces their workload.”
In the development of Inspectra CXR, deep learning algorithms, specifically convolutional neural networks (CNN) combined with artificial intelligence (AI), were implemented for image classification and analysis. It took the FIBO-Perceptra team 1.5 years to create the Inspectra Cloud Platform, which allows hospitals across Thailand to access the system. The research team also collaborated with numerous medical schools, government agencies, and companies, including 30 participating hospitals nationwide for field studies. Assoc. Prof. Trongtum Tongdee from Siriraj Hospital Radiology Department provided invaluable technical support in the area of chest diagnostic radiology.
Dr. Warasinee reveals that the AI-powered system can reduce the workload of radiologists by 40%. For hospitals without radiology specialists, the system provides valuable second opinions. When dealing with a large number of cases, Inspectra CXR can serve as a pre-screening tool, enabling doctors to prioritize and focus on serious cases. Additionally, as Inspectra CXR operates 24/7, it supports emergency medicine by providing fast turnaround times.
Inspectra CXR has undergone extensive performance testing, and with an accuracy rate of 90%, it has been widely accepted by radiologists as an efficient tool for speedy and accurate x-ray image analysis.
Inspectra Cloud Platform allows hospitals throughout the country to use the system by submitting x-ray images via a dedicated application. The system performs image analysis in just 2 seconds. The centralized processing platform helps maintain an affordable cost, making the service accessible to any hospital.
Regarding data safety and privacy, Dr. Warasinee explains that the platform has been developed to meet international standards, ensuring patient privacy and data security. Encryption safeguards data during transfer and storage, and access control is implemented to restrict image viewing to authorized hospital personnel only.
Inspectra Cloud Platform was launched in Thailand in early 2021, with plans to expand to other Southeast Asian countries facing similar specialist shortages. With a monthly fee lower than the combined salary of a couple of radiologists, Inspectra CXR certainly offers an attractive and practical option for many hospitals.