AI-Powered X-Ray System Gets FDA Approval

A mobile x-ray machine powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). GE Healthcare, the creator of the device, received the go signal to market its new AI-powered x-ray system last September. Called the Critical Care Suite, the system is meant to help in the early detection of pneumothorax [noo-moh-THOR-aks], a fatal lung condition that affects thousands of Americans yearly. Through the device, doctors and lab technicians can now quickly review and evaluate x-ray images and give immediate treatment and medication to patients in critical condition. Following the approval, the apparatus is set to be widely used in hospitals by early next year. The machine works by using AI algorithms to examine images from an x-ray. If a suspected case of pneumothorax has been detected, the machine sends the image to medical staff for proper evaluation. This process helps significantly reduce the condition’s detection time from eight hours to as fast as 15 minutes. The machine does not require an Internet connection to work, which means that it can be used anytime. This new technology is included in GE Healthcare’s platform, Edison, which includes all the company’s AI-powered innovations. GE Healthcare aims to incorporate AI into the entire healthcare system for more efficient and reliable patient care. Despite AI’s help in advancing the medical field, there are some concerns about it taking over major medical decisions. However, GE Healthcare CEO Kieran Murphy dispelled these worries. He said that AI is not replacing professionals because their expertise is still needed to verify the validity and accuracy of findings made by AI.