Artificial intelligence is being used to scan X-rays and identify potential bone fractures at Ipswich Hospital, aiming to speed up diagnosis and treatment.
The big picture: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) is implementing AI technology called Boneview to support doctors in detecting fractures that the human eye may miss.
The AI will scan thousands of X-rays to look for signs of fractures
It aims to help prioritise patients with potential fractures detected by the technology
Doctors will still review all X-rays, with the AI as an additional tool
Why it matters: The technology could improve patient care by identifying fractures earlier and reducing wait times in A&E.
What they're saying: "We hope this will be particularly beneficial, for example, when a patient x-ray is being viewed by a doctor and their x-ray may not be reviewed by radiology for some time," said Dr James Hathorn, consultant radiologist at ESNEFT.
Key details:
Boneview will be used at Ipswich Hospital, Colchester Hospital and Clacton Hospital's Urgent Treatment Centre
The trial will run until June 2025
The technology was developed by a company called Gleamer
The bottom line: While humans will still review all X-rays, AI aims to improve A&E turnaround times and enhance the overall patient experience.
