From ABCDE to AI: AI in X-Ray Analysis

Jacob Mathew
2 min readJun 18, 2023

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The skill to interpret x-rays was an integral part of the medical training my colleagues and I received. Throughout our journey, we diligently examined countless x-rays, studied thousands of varied cases, and independently learned specific methodologies. Notably, we utilized mnemonics such as the ABCDE method to help us remember key components to consider.

‘A’ is for Apices — could there be a Pneumothorax?

‘B’ represents Bones/soft tissues — are there any Fractures or unusual densities?

‘C’ stands for Cardiac shadow — could there be Consolidation or a mass?

‘D’ is for Diaphragm — might there be Pneumoperitoneum?

‘E’ signifies Edge of the image — are there any unexpected findings?

One of the new features of Med Palm 2 is its responsive AI system. To utilize this feature, one needs to pose the right question to the AI system, such as, “What does this picture depict?” or “Can you draft a report analyzing this chest x-ray?”.

We invested a significant amount of time in learning these techniques. As technological advancements like AI-assisted x-ray analysis become mainstream, I can’t help but wonder how it will reshape medical school training. Undoubtedly, there are significant changes on the horizon for both medical education and daily practice in the field.

#Med-PaLM2 #artificialintelligence #MedicalSchool #digitalhealth

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