Dr Mona Bhatia, Director and Head of Cardiac Imaging, at FortisEscorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, in her talk expounded on how radiologists can leverage AI to their advantage
Raelene Kambli
Many radiologists feel that AI could make them redundant. But the fact remains that AI is here to stay and most certainly will take over many radiological applications. She recalled how radiologists in the past have pioneered the digital era in medicine. AI medicine is likely to rule the next decade, she informed. However, several challenges will need to be addressed.
Addressing the question of whether AI in radiology is a competition or synergy, she pointed out that AI will assist the radiologists. It will optimise workflows, permit more time for value-added work, enhance decision making and help in the participation of interdisciplinary teams and interventions. Further on, she urged the government and industry to look into the ethics and governance as regulations are yet to be established. We need new policies, regulations for data protection and privacy as well as cybersecurity is a must. Accountability needs to be enforced. There is also a need for increased accessibility of AI-based technologies globally and in remote areas. This would mean that the profession of radiology will change dramatically in the coming years. In the end, she reiterated that synergies between radiologists and AI orchestra are sure to fly.