New York patients who have had pneumonia at some point in their lives may be interested to learn that imaging software can help doctors diagnose pneumonia with greater accuracy. This artificial intelligence-powered imaging software, which was designed by scientists at Stanford University, processes images using a specific set of parameters.
To use the program, which has been named CheXnet, doctors input X-rays of the lungs. The software provides a numeric probability that the lungs in the X-ray have been infected with pneumonia. The software also provides a colored readout that shows areas of the lungs that have more of the pneumonia infection. Doctors can use this information to determine the appropriate steps to treat the illness. In studies, it was shown that the imaging software beat other programs in accuracy after being trained to identify the infection.
It is estimated that two-thirds of the population around the world do not have access to accurate tools that can be used to diagnose pneumonia. Scientists hope that this imaging program can be used not only in hospitals but in other areas of the world, especially in places where there are a limited number of skilled radiologists.
If pneumonia is not diagnosed quickly, the condition can worsen. For those who are young, elderly or immune-impaired, this lung infection can be deadly. As such, a quick diagnosis and proper treatment is crucial. If a doctor failed to diagnose pneumonia even if the symptoms were clear, there is a possibility that the patient experienced medical malpractice. An attorney may be able to review the case and utilize witness testimony to determine if malpractice led to harm. If there is a case, the attorney may file a lawsuit against the doctor and the hospital in order to seek compensation for the worsened medical condition and any injuries from medical malpractice that occurred.
