AI-based diagnostic system for COVID-19 approved in Taiwan

FDA approves the use of an AI-based diagnostic system, that can be used as a fast diagnostic tool to detect COVID-19 cases.

According to FOCUS TAIWAN, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it has approved the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) system that will help doctors to read chest X-rays and thus more quickly detect COVID-19 infections.

The AI-based diagnostic system was developed jointly by a startup called Taiwan Medical Imaging Co. and some medical institutions, according to FDA official Wu Ting-yao (吳亭瑤).

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This technology will be particularly useful in cases where an undiagnosed asymptomatic COVID-19 patient visits a doctor with some other ailment. Image courtesy of BBC.

Hsiao Shih-hsin (蕭世欣), an attending physician at Taipei Medical University Hospital, said the technology will be particularly useful in cases where an undiagnosed asymptomatic COVID-19 patient visits a doctor with some other ailment.

In such circumstances, the AI system can be used to read the chest X-ray images of the person and issue an alert if it detects a possible COVID-19 infection, Hsiao said.

FOCUS TAIWAN mentions, with the use of the AI system, there will be no immediate need for the entire hospital staff to be tested, in such a situation, said Lee Chien-chang (李建璋), deputy director of the Center of Intelligent Healthcare at National Taiwan University Hospital and an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine.

The AI system can be used, alongside PCR testing and rapid antigen tests, as a fast diagnostic tool to detect COVID-19 cases by pinpointing a suspected chest infection on X-ray images, he said.

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The AI system can also help reduce the incidence of errors among overworked radiologists. Image courtesy of udn.

FOCUS TAIWAN says, on May 27, the FDA gave approval, on a special case basis, for commercialization of the AI system, in light of the current COVID-19 situation in Taiwan, Wu said.

By taking chest X-rays of those with suspicious symptoms and having the AI system read the images, doctors will be able to identify those who have contracted COVID-19, Lee said.

FOCUS TAIWAN adds, in addition to the advantages of speeding up COVID-19 diagnosis and saving manpower, the AI system can also help reduce the incidence of errors among overworked radiologists, he added.

Lee said that in the clinical trials, the AI system had an 80 percent accuracy rate for the detection of COVID-19.