Google and Bayer are teaming up to develop a radiology assistant AI

AI’s impact on radiology will be swift and most likely game-changing. Radiology is a field of medicine in which adoption of AI techniques has been rapid because Deep Learning techniques excel at image classification (e.g. cancer or not) and segmentation (localize the cancer), and radiology is all about interpreting medical images from various types of scans. Currently, AI algorithms assist radiologists in a number of tasks including detection, workflow triage, and quantification (QH).

Established players in both AI and radiology are jockeying for position alongside of new startups in this burgeoning area. Recently, Google Cloud and Bayer announced that they are teaming up to create an AI platform designed to improve radiologists' workflows and efficiency (CNBC). This partnership makes sense because Google brings AI and computing expertise, while Bayer has experience offering radiology services. The technology, built on existing Google Cloud solutions like Vertex AI and BigQuery, emphasizes security with encrypted data. Bayer will ensure the platform is user-friendly for medical professionals and addresses tasks most relevant to radiologists. 

The platform, described as an assistive tool rather than a replacement for radiologists, aims to enhance efficiency by streamlining the review of medical images and patient data (Figure 1). Not only can the AI identify potential problems in medical images, but it can also collate relevant patient medical history. This technology aims to reduce the workload of radiologists, who face a labor shortage and burnout due to increasing caseloads. This innovation comes at a time when the medical imaging AI market is still evolving, with no clear leader, underscoring the potential for significant impact in the radiology field.

The platform has been in development for five years and represents a new business model for Bayer, expanding from pharmaceuticals into service provision. The platform is set to undergo further testing and feedback collection from health-care organizations within the year.

Figure 1. Radiologist examining a CAT scan of the brain. In the near future, an AI assistant will help the doctor with this task (Photo: Hispanolistic/Getty Images).