01.12.2018

AI-based diagnostic tool to examine cerebral hemorrhage

The significance of brain disorders and their treatment will increase as the population ages all around the world. CleverHealth Network's project develops a tool for physicians that aims for more exact cerebral hemorrhage diagnostics and better care for patients.

In Finland, approximately six million medical imaging examinations are performed annually, and about 140,000 of those are CT scans of the head. Most commonly, medical imagings of the head performed at emergency departments are used to examine cerebral hemorrhage, for example.

“Imaging techniques develop and radiation levels decrease, due to which it is likely that the number of performed scans will increase”, states Miikka Korja, Senior Medical Officer in Charge of Development from HUS.

Interpreting the results of head imaging is demanding and requires experience. As the number of scans increases both in Finland and worldwide, the number of radiologists is decreasing simultaneously. Thus, interpreting the results requires more experienced eyes.

The aim in this CleverHealth Network's project is to improve the treatment of brain disorders by developing a diagnostic tool to assist physicians. HUS Helsinki University Hospital has a digital archive of over 16 million scans, and these anonymous images can be utilized in the development work. The physicians and nurses from HUS provide their clinical expertise to the project, and Finnish technology companies provide their knowledge in artificial intelligence and image analysis.

“The project aims to develop a clinically significant AI-based image analysis tool. If successful, the method could be used with other brain disorders as well, both in Finland and around the world”, Korja says.

AI-based image analysis can often be even more precise than the human eye. In the end, the CT scan results are always analyzed by a physician.

“The AI and its applications provide support the physician can lean on during decision making, but it does not remove the significance of the human aspect. This is truly a significant project, since brain hemorrhage is a sudden and extremely serious illness. If this project succeeds, it could directly affect the life-expectancy and survival rate of cerebral hemorrhage patients”, Korja states.

Project participants

More information

Taru Hermens, Project Manager, taru.hermens[at]hus.fi

Miikka Korja, Chief Innovation Officer, Head of Section - Cerebrovascular Consultant, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, miikka.korja[at]hus.fi