Malaysia deploys AI to spot deadly lung disease before it spreads

As artificial intelligence (AI) demonstrates its power time and time again, including in medicine, Malaysia has officially introduced it into its health system, utilizing the advances in this technology to screen for deadly lung diseases before they get out of hand.

Specifically, the Malaysian Ministry of Health has launched a new AI-driven X-ray diagnosis tool targeting individuals at high risk for lung disease, and seven government health clinics will deploy it in the pilot phase this year, per a report published by New Straits Times on May 4.

Indeed, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad, the goal of the project is to provide improved accuracy through the use of AI and data analytics compared to conventional X-ray. As he pointed out at a press conference presenting the new technology:

“Screening is conducted on high-risk groups such as active smokers, those who inhale second-hand smoke, chemical industry workers, or those exposed to toxic substances.”

Using AI for early lung disease detection

Furthermore, Dzulkefly explained that the project would run on two levels – national and international. The former will include seven government clinics, including the collaboration with 15 companies and 400 workers. As for the latter, the minister plans to bring it to the World Health Assembly (WHA) later in May.

In the words of deputy director of Malaysian Disease Control Division for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), Dr. Noraryana Hassan, the clinics involved in the pilot project will link to nearby hospitals for low-dose CT (LDCT) scans to confirm the findings and carry out follow-up treatment.

As she further clarified, conventional chest X-rays have the disadvantage of relying on human eyesight for detection of signs of lung disease, and our eyes can sometimes miss the telltale small nodules or swellings – a problem that AI technology easily addresses.

Meanwhile, AI continues to display exceptional usability in medical diagnosis, including identifying chronic liver disease just from pictures taken during an echocardiogram, revealing causes of traumatic brain injury, instant screening for glaucoma, nearly 100% accuracy in detecting cancer, and more.