“Artificial intelligence isn’t merely poised to change our world; it already has. And the scientific possibilities are more fantastic – and more humanizing than we might think” (National Geographic: vol 246. November 2024). In this article in National Geographic, the authors outlined 5 real life examples of AI breakthroughs in neurosurgery, space, archaeology, nature and seismology.
Without sending you to read the article, one example that stood out in my mind was a team of doctors operating on a patient at the Netherlands’ Princess Maxima Center where AI is regularly used to help medical teams diagnose tumors faster and more efficiently. In the past, surgeons open an patient’s skull and biopsy a small portion of the tumor for analysis. The skull is closed up while it takes up to two weeks for the biopsy sample to come back from the lab. If the sample returns positive with cancer, the surgeons must then open the skull again and remove the tumour. Alternatively a doctor can place a slide with a sample of the tissue under a microscope in the operating room and try to use their experience and education to make a decision.
Dr. Hoving specializes in operating on kids and teenages and he understands the challenges facing surgeons as the patient lies on the table with their skull open. He cites an experience he had a few years previously. The section examined under the microscope in the operating room indicated a highly malignant tumor called an ATRT, which is known to be a highly aggressive cancer. Dr. Hoving decided the best course of action was to perform a radical resection, carefully removing 98% of the tumor. The end result was the patient loss some motor control in one of his arms. When the lab results came back ten days later, the report showed the tumor wasn’t an ARTR and the treatment could have been much different. The Doctor laments in hindsight, he should not have taken the path he took.
In the summer of 2023, the Princess Maxima Center starting using an experimental AI model called Sturgeon, that can identify tumors in real time. It can categorize brain tumors with a 90% accuracy in less than 40 minutes, allowing the doctors to make an informed decision while the patient is under the knife.
The article is much more in depth about using AI to do DNA sequencing and other highly technical procedures in medicine. The point is, AI can be used to greatly enhance and improve our lives. Its a new world of discovery using AI and we are front and center in this new world!
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4 responses to “AI is the New World of Discovery”
The integration of AI in such procedures, weather medical or not, raises questions about awareness and consent. In this case, how much should patients know about the role of AI in their treatment, and how might this affect their trust in the medical system?
Wałdoch, K. (2024). Informed Consent for the Use of AI in the Process of Providing Medical Services. Review of European and Comparative Law, 57(2), 121-140.
Medical practitioners always have consent forms prior to any procedure and I think they would need to include using AI. I guess it comes down to user-be-aware. Open AI now offers an “incognito” setting allowing the user to use platforms without saving the chat history or revealing any personal information shared in the chat. More than that, I am not sure because I am guessing people with nefarious intentions will find a way to use AI to ferret out all kinds of personal information.
The example of the Princess Maxima Center’s implementation of AI in neurosurgery truly highlights this transformation.
The use of the Sturgeon model, which offers real-time tumor identification with impressive accuracy, represents a significant leap forward in addressing the challenges faced by neurosurgeons like Dr. Hoving. It’s astonishing to think that in a matter of 40 minutes, a surgical team can receive critical information that could change the course of a patient’s treatment, ultimately leading to better outcomes and minimizing the risks associated with multiple surgeries.
Dr. Hoving’s experience serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities and uncertainties that can accompany surgical decision-making, particularly in high-stakes environments involving vulnerable patients. The advancement of AI technologies in this context not only has the potential to enhance diagnostic precision but also supports surgeons in making timely and informed choices, which can dramatically alter patient care and recovery.
Additionally, advancements in AI for DNA sequencing and other technical procedures are opening new frontiers in medical research and diagnostics (Hao, 2023; National Geographic, 2024). This article emphasizes that AI applications extend beyond medicine, impacting fields such as seismology and archaeology (Smith & Taylor, 2023). The potential to unveil discoveries and solve complex problems that were previously insurmountable is truly exciting.
As we stand at the brink of this new era, it’s clear that the integration of AI will not only enhance our capabilities in various fields but also enrich our understanding of complex systems, leading to a more humanized and effective approach to problem-solving. I’m eager to see how these advancements will unfold in the coming years and what new opportunities for healing and discovery they will unlock.
References:
Hao, K. (2023). “AI in Healthcare: Transforming Diagnostics and Treatment.” The New Scientist.
National Geographic. (2024). “Artificial Intelligence: Changing Our World.” vol 246.
Smith, J., & Taylor, A. (2023). “AI Applications in Archeology and Earth Sciences.” Journal of AI Research.
These are the things that I’m more interested in regarding A.i. I beleive it should exist to help humans:not fully replace them. I wonder what the ethical implications would be were surgeries are botched/mistakes made by Ai. Who would be at fault? Would surgeons avoid repercussions? I’d be keen to see the legal.