"This AI tool would allow us to more accurately analyze tumors removed surgically in, and increase the chance that all of the cancer cells are removed during the surgery. This would prevent the need to bring patients back for a second or third surgery."
The pathologist can determine whether cancer cells extend to the specimen's outer edge, or pathological margin. If cancer cells are present on the edge of the tissue removed, there is a chance that additional cancer cells still remain in the breast. The surgeon might have to perform additional surgery to remove additional tissue to ensure the cancer has been completely removed.
To"teach" their AI model what positive and negative margins look like, researchers used hundreds of these specimen mammogram images, matched with the final specimen reports from pathologists. To help their model, the researchers also gatheredAfter calculating the model's accuracy in predicting pathologic margins, researchers compared that data to the typical accuracy of human interpretation and discovered that the AI model performed as well as humans, if not better.
According to Gallagher, the model can be especially helpful in discerning margins in patients that have higher breast density.