Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur
Jaipur, Oct 26: Artificial intelligence (AI) could transform India's fight against tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer by enabling earlier detection, faster diagnosis and more efficient patient screening, health experts said.
The issue was discussed at the 28th Joint Annual National Conference of the National College of Chest Physicians, India (NCCP-I), and the Indian Chest Society (ICS), held in Jaipur from October 22 to 25. The conference brought together more than 2,000 pulmonologists, respiratory physicians, researchers and healthcare professionals from India and abroad.
Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria said AI had the potential to reshape the identification and management of respiratory diseases. AI-powered tools can help detect suspicious abnormalities in chest X-rays and CT scans, enabling doctors to make faster, more informed decisions about further investigations and treatment.
He noted that the technology could make a significant difference in India, where the burden of tuberculosis and lung cancer remains substantial, particularly when combined with clinical expertise.
Experts said AI-based software can analyse chest X-rays and identify patterns associated with tuberculosis, helping healthcare workers prioritise patients for further testing. Such tools could be particularly useful in underserved regions, primary healthcare centres and mobile screening programmes, where access to specialist radiologists is limited.
Dr Raj Kumar, director of the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute in Delhi, said AI-assisted chest X-ray screening could improve the reach and efficiency of tuberculosis detection programmes.
The conference also examined the growing role of AI in lung cancer diagnosis. Experts said advanced algorithms could assist doctors in reviewing CT scans, identifying suspicious lung nodules and flagging abnormalities that may require further evaluation.
While AI could help streamline screening and support clinical decision-making, experts emphasised its potential as a tool to assist healthcare professionals in identifying patients who need timely investigations.