Moscow Outpatient Departments to Implement AI X-ray Interpretation

Starting May 2024, Moscow polyclinics will introduce autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze X-ray studies with patients receiving AI-generated reports in their electronic medical records after fluorography or chest radiography.
Sergey Sobyanin announced, “AI will analyze X-rays in Moscow outpatient departments without doctor involvement. Annually, we perform about two million fluorographies and chest X-rays, mostly for preventive purposes. In 99% of these fluorographies, no pathologies are detected, and doctors spend time interpreting normal results. With AI’s accuracy in identifying the absence of disease, we can now delegate the analysis and interpretation to AI services optimized for maximum sensitivity. A special CMI rate has been implemented for this purpose.”
Moscow’s advancements in smart algorithms enable AI services to operate independently in interpreting studies. These neural networks, calibrated for maximum sensitivity, can detect even the smallest abnormalities.
If no abnormalities are found, AI reports will automatically be added to patients’ electronic medical records.
To mitigate diagnostic errors, leading radiologists will double-check reports made by AI until September. Specialists from the Kasatkin Clinic of The Russian Medical Academy for Continuing Professional Education (RMANPO) will review results within 48 hours, providing their own conclusions, which will also be recorded electronically. This ensures patients receive two sets of reports —one from AI and one from a specialist.
When AI identifies potential pathologies, the results will be forwarded to doctors at the capital’s reference center for diagnostic imaging for further analysis, with patients receiving results within 24 hours.
AI services will be funded through the compulsory health insurance system, with a dedicated payment rate ensuring the technology remains free for capital’s citizens.
This implementation aims to enhance research quality while freeing doctors from routine tasks, allowing faster result availability and enabling specialists to focus on patients needing more attention.
Annually, doctors perform about two million such tests, primarily preventive. In 99% of fluorographies, no pathologies are found, and doctors interpret normal results.
A team of experts from the capital’s Centre for Diagnostics and Telemedicine (doctors, scientists, engineers and analysts) will control the quality of the AI service.
If successful, the Moscow City Government will consider permanent implementation of AI for automated X-ray interpretation without additional doctor review.
Since 2020, Moscow’s radiology specialists have utilized AI services, processing over 12 million studies. Moscow doctors have access to more than 50 computer vision services, aiding in the detection of 37 diseases, including malignant lung tumors, pneumonia, osteoporosis, aortic aneurysm, ischemic heart disease, stroke, pulmonary hypertension, and hydrothorax, across mammograms, CT, MRI, and X-rays. AI diagnostic accuracy exceeds 95%.
The introduction of AI has reduced study interpretation time by an average of 30%. Twenty-six development companies collaborate with Moscow’s healthcare system, offering services capable of detecting multiple diseases.