Perceptions of Canadian radiation oncologists, radiation physicists, radiation therapists and radiation trainees about the impact of artificial intelligence in radiation oncology – national survey

Author(s):  
Kristen Wong ◽  
François Gallant ◽  
Ewa Szumacher
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 153303382110163
Author(s):  
Danju Huang ◽  
Han Bai ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Yu Hou ◽  
Lan Li ◽  
...  

With the massive use of computers, the growth and explosion of data has greatly promoted the development of artificial intelligence (AI). The rise of deep learning (DL) algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), has provided radiation oncologists with many promising tools that can simplify the complex radiotherapy process in the clinical work of radiation oncology, improve the accuracy and objectivity of diagnosis, and reduce the workload, thus enabling clinicians to spend more time on advanced decision-making tasks. As the development of DL gets closer to clinical practice, radiation oncologists will need to be more familiar with its principles to properly evaluate and use this powerful tool. In this paper, we explain the development and basic concepts of AI and discuss its application in radiation oncology based on different task categories of DL algorithms. This work clarifies the possibility of further development of DL in radiation oncology.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 241-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia H. Hardenbergh ◽  
Brigitta Gehl ◽  
Kimberly Anne Lyons-Mitchell

241 Background: The purpose of this project is to improve the quality of cancer care by connecting disease site-specific experts with community oncologists through web-based technology. Methods: Chartrounds.com is a conferencing web-site developed to allow community oncologists to present real cases to disease site specialists in oncology on a scheduled basis. Chartrounds was developed initially for radiation oncologists and subsequently has expanded to include multidisciplinary tumor boards and medical oncology specific sessions. Presently 43 disease site expert oncologists including surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists from 38 academic institutions in the US host sessions. Feedback reports following the completion of each session were designed to assess the impact of the project. Results: Since its inception in December 2010, 43 disease site-specialists have lead 366 sessions, connecting 3,793 participating oncologists from all 50 US states and 24 countries.Broken down by specialty, 348 radiation oncology sessions have linked 3,632 participants, 14 medical oncology specific and multidisciplinary tumor board sessions have included 161 participants. On a 5 point Likert scale with 5 representing the greatest possible impact, the mean response to feedback questions is as follows: session quality: 4.7 for radiation oncology, 4.6 for multidisciplinary; time used effectively: 4.6 for radiation oncology, 4.5 for multidisciplinary; discussions relevant to daily practice: 4.6 for radiation oncology, 4.6 for multidisciplinary; session is likely to result in a change of practice: 4.0 for radiation oncology, 4.0 for multidisciplinary. Chartrounds sessions qualify for 1 CME credit and is approved for a practice quality improvement project by the American Board of Radiology. Conclusions: Chartrounds.com is impacting oncology practices which results in changes in community practice. Future directions of this project include providing chartrounds sessions for oncology nurses and providing a library of video recorded archived sessions. This work has been funded by the Improving Cancer Care Grant of the ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aude Vaandering ◽  
Selma Ben Mustapha ◽  
Maarten Lambrecht ◽  
Dirk Van Gestel ◽  
Liv Veldmeman

Purpose: COVID-19 reached Belgium in February and quickly became a major public health challenge. It is of importance to evaluate the actual impact of COVID-19 on patients and staff in Belgian radiotherapy departments (RTDs). This was evaluated through a weekly national survey sent to departments measuring key factors that were affected by the pandemic.Materials and Methods: The Belgian SocieTy for Radiation Oncology (BeSTRO) together with the Belgian College for physicians in Radiation Oncology invited all 26 RTD to participate in a survey that started on March 2nd and was re- submitted weekly for 4 months to assess variations in time. The survey focused on: (1) the COVID-19 status of patients and staff; (2) the management of clinically suspected COVID patients and COVID positive patients; (3) the impact of COVID-19 on RTD activities; (4) its impact in radiotherapy indications and fractionation schemes.Results: Seventy-three percent of 26 RTDs completed the first survey and 57% responded to all weekly surveys. In the RTD staff, 24 members were COVID-positive of whom 67% were RTTs. Over the study period, the number of patients treated dropped by a maximum of 18.8% when compared to March 2nd. In 32.3% of COVID-positive and 54% of COVID suspected patients, treatment was continued without any interruptions. Radiotherapy indications were adapted within the 1st weeks of the survey in 47.4% of RTD, especially for urological and breast tumors. Fractionation schemes were changed in 68.4% of RTD, mainly for urological, breast, gastro-intestinal, and lung tumors.Conclusions: Between March and June 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an important decrease in treatment activity in RTD in Belgium (18.8%). The COVID-19 infection status of patients influenced the continuity of the radiotherapy schedule. Changes in indications and fractionation schedules of radiotherapy were rapidly incorporated in the different RTD.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Welker ◽  
David France ◽  
Alice Henty ◽  
Thalia Wheatley

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) enable the creation of videos in which a person appears to say or do things they did not. The impact of these so-called “deepfakes” hinges on their perceived realness. Here we tested different versions of deepfake faces for Welcome to Chechnya, a documentary that used face swaps to protect the privacy of Chechen torture survivors who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation. AI face swaps that replace an entire face with another were perceived as more human-like and less unsettling compared to partial face swaps that left the survivors’ original eyes unaltered. The full-face swap was deemed the least unsettling even in comparison to the original (unaltered) face. When rendered in full, AI face swaps can appear human and avoid aversive responses in the viewer associated with the uncanny valley.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Visco ◽  
Germano Junior Ferruzzi ◽  
Federico Nicastro ◽  
Nicola Virtuoso ◽  
Albino Carrizzo ◽  
...  

Background: In the real world, medical practice is changing hand in hand with the development of new Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and problems from different areas have been successfully solved using AI algorithms. Specifically, the use of AI techniques in setting up or building precision medicine is significant in terms of the accuracy of disease discovery and tailored treatment. Moreover, with the use of technology, clinical personnel can deliver a very much efficient healthcare service. Objective: This article reviews AI state-of-the-art in cardiovascular disease management, focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic improvements. Methods: To that end, we conducted a detailed PubMed search on AI application from distinct areas of cardiology: heart failure, arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation, syncope and cardiovascular rehabilitation. Particularly, to assess the impact of these technologies in clinical decision-making, this research considers technical and medical aspects. Results: On one hand, some devices in heart failure, atrial fibrillation and cardiac rehabilitation represent an inexpensive, not invasive or not very invasive approach to long-term surveillance and management in these areas. On the other hand, the availability of large datasets (big data) is a useful tool to predict the development and outcome of many cardiovascular diseases. In summary, with this new guided therapy, the physician can supply prompt, individualised, and tailored treatment and the patients feel safe as they are continuously monitored, with a significant psychological effect. Conclusion: Soon, tailored patient care via telemonitoring can improve the clinical practice because AI-based systems support cardiologists in daily medical activities, improving disease detection and treatment. However, the physician-patient relationship remains a pivotal step.


Author(s):  
Nagla Rizk

This chapter looks at the challenges, opportunities, and tensions facing the equitable development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the MENA region in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. While diverse in their natural and human resource endowments, countries of the region share a commonality in the predominance of a youthful population amid complex political and economic contexts. Rampant unemployment—especially among a growing young population—together with informality, gender, and digital inequalities, will likely shape the impact of AI technologies, especially in the region’s labor-abundant resource-poor countries. The chapter then analyzes issues related to data, legislative environment, infrastructure, and human resources as key inputs to AI technologies which in their current state may exacerbate existing inequalities. Ultimately, the promise for AI technologies for inclusion and helping mitigate inequalities lies in harnessing grounds-up youth entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives driven by data and AI, with a few hopeful signs coming from national policies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 102285
Author(s):  
Maxwell F. Kilcoyne ◽  
Garrett N. Coyan ◽  
Edgar Aranda-Michel ◽  
Arman Kilic ◽  
Victor O. Morell ◽  
...  

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