Artificial Intelligence Accurately Detects Fractures on X-Rays
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 13 Jan 2022 |

Image: Examples of fractures detected using the AI BoneView algorithm (Photo courtesy of BUSM)
A new study reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) assistance improves the sensitivity and specificity of radiology readers searching for skeletal fractures.
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM; MA, USA), Stony Brook University (SBU; NY, USA), and other institutions conducted a study of the Gleamer (Paris, France) AI BoneView algorithm, which can detect fractures of the limbs, pelvis, torso, lumbar spine, and rib cage. Six types of readers (radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, emergency physicians, physician assistants, rheumatologists, and family physicians) examined set 480 data sets, both with and without AI BoneView.
The results revealed that using AI assistance helped reduce missed fractures by 29% and increased readers' sensitivity by 16% for a single fracture, and by 30% for exams with more than one fracture, while improving specificity by 5%. The improvement in sensitivity was significant in all locations, but especially in the shoulder, clavicle, and thoracolumbar spine. AI assistance also shortened X-ray reading time by an average of 6.3 seconds per patient. The study was published on December 21, 2021, in Radiology.
“Our AI algorithm can quickly and automatically detect x-rays that are positive for fractures and flag those studies in the system so that radiologists can prioritize reading x-rays with positive fractures,” said corresponding author Professor Ali Guermazi, MD, PhD, of BUSM. “The system also highlights regions of interest with bounding boxes around areas where fractures are suspected. This can potentially contribute to less waiting time at the hospital or clinic before patients can get a positive diagnosis of fracture.”
Missed fractures on radiographs are one of the most common causes of diagnostic discrepancies between initial interpretations by non-radiologists or residents and the final read by board-certified radiologists, leading to preventable harm or delay in care to the patient. In addition, inconsistencies in radiographic diagnosis of fractures are more common during the evening and overnight hours, likely related to non-expert reading and fatigue. In patients with multiple traumas, the proportion of missed injuries, including fractures, can be high on the forearm and hands (6.6%) and feet (6.5%).
Related Links:
Boston University School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Gleamer
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM; MA, USA), Stony Brook University (SBU; NY, USA), and other institutions conducted a study of the Gleamer (Paris, France) AI BoneView algorithm, which can detect fractures of the limbs, pelvis, torso, lumbar spine, and rib cage. Six types of readers (radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, emergency physicians, physician assistants, rheumatologists, and family physicians) examined set 480 data sets, both with and without AI BoneView.
The results revealed that using AI assistance helped reduce missed fractures by 29% and increased readers' sensitivity by 16% for a single fracture, and by 30% for exams with more than one fracture, while improving specificity by 5%. The improvement in sensitivity was significant in all locations, but especially in the shoulder, clavicle, and thoracolumbar spine. AI assistance also shortened X-ray reading time by an average of 6.3 seconds per patient. The study was published on December 21, 2021, in Radiology.
“Our AI algorithm can quickly and automatically detect x-rays that are positive for fractures and flag those studies in the system so that radiologists can prioritize reading x-rays with positive fractures,” said corresponding author Professor Ali Guermazi, MD, PhD, of BUSM. “The system also highlights regions of interest with bounding boxes around areas where fractures are suspected. This can potentially contribute to less waiting time at the hospital or clinic before patients can get a positive diagnosis of fracture.”
Missed fractures on radiographs are one of the most common causes of diagnostic discrepancies between initial interpretations by non-radiologists or residents and the final read by board-certified radiologists, leading to preventable harm or delay in care to the patient. In addition, inconsistencies in radiographic diagnosis of fractures are more common during the evening and overnight hours, likely related to non-expert reading and fatigue. In patients with multiple traumas, the proportion of missed injuries, including fractures, can be high on the forearm and hands (6.6%) and feet (6.5%).
Related Links:
Boston University School of Medicine
Stony Brook University
Gleamer
Channels
Critical Care
view channel
Novel Coating Significantly Extends Longevity of Implantable Biosensors
Wearable and implantable biosensors capable of accurately detecting biological molecules in a non-invasive or minimally invasive way offer enormous potential for monitoring patients’ health and their responses... Read more
Nanogel-Based Drug Delivery Technology to Improve UTI Treatment
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are not only widespread and costly but also highly debilitating, significantly impacting the quality of life for those affected. The antibiotics commonly used to treat UTIs... Read more
New IV Pole Improves Safety and Ease of Administering IV Medications at Hospital Bedside
Preventable medication errors affect around 500,000 hospitalized patients in the U.S. every year. A significant portion of these errors occur with intravenous (IV) smart pumps, which require a precise... Read moreSurgical Techniques
view channel
Easy-To-Apply Gel Could Prevent Formation of Post-Surgical Abdominal Adhesions
Surgical adhesions are a frequent and often life-threatening complication following open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery. These adhesions develop in the weeks following surgery as the body heals.... Read more
Groundbreaking Leadless Pacemaker to Prevent Invasive Surgeries for Children
Leadless pacemakers marked a significant advancement in cardiac care, primarily because traditional pacemakers are dependent on leads, which are prone to breakage over time. Currently, two FDA-approved... Read morePatient Care
view channel
Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections
Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more
First-Of-Its-Kind Portable Germicidal Light Technology Disinfects High-Touch Clinical Surfaces in Seconds
Reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remains a pressing issue within global healthcare systems. In the United States alone, 1.7 million patients contract HAIs annually, leading to approximately... Read more
Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization
An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more
Game-Changing Innovation in Surgical Instrument Sterilization Significantly Improves OR Throughput
A groundbreaking innovation enables hospitals to significantly improve instrument processing time and throughput in operating rooms (ORs) and sterile processing departments. Turbett Surgical, Inc.... Read moreHealth IT
view channel
Printable Molecule-Selective Nanoparticles Enable Mass Production of Wearable Biosensors
The future of medicine is likely to focus on the personalization of healthcare—understanding exactly what an individual requires and delivering the appropriate combination of nutrients, metabolites, and... Read more
Smartwatches Could Detect Congestive Heart Failure
Diagnosing congestive heart failure (CHF) typically requires expensive and time-consuming imaging techniques like echocardiography, also known as cardiac ultrasound. Previously, detecting CHF by analyzing... Read morePoint of Care
view channel
Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour
Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Smartphone-Enabled, Paper-Based Quantitative Diagnostic Platform Transforms POC Testing
Point-of-care diagnostics are crucial for public health, offering rapid, on-site testing that enables prompt diagnosis and treatment. This is especially valuable in remote or underserved regions where... Read moreBusiness
view channel
Becton Dickinson to Spin Out Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions Business
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA), has announced that its board of directors has unanimously authorized BD management to pursue a plan to separate BD's Biosciences and Diagnostic... Read more