New CT scan technology helps radiologists catch more potentially cancerous lung masses sooner
White dots in a sea of black — at its most basic, that's what radiologists are looking for when they review CT chest scans for nodules that could be a sign of cancer.
But, of course, it's not that simple. Those white dots can be obscured by blood vessels and bone, which are also white in the sea of black. To help cut through that visual clutter, radiologists at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula are now using an artificial intelligence-driven software that suppresses the bone and blood vessels in the images, giving unobstructed views of any nodules.
"There are certain areas within the lungs where identifying nodules is more challenging," says Dr. Anthony Filly, a radiologist at Community Hospital. The software "can actually subtract out the vessels leaving only the nodules behind. It can definitely make a big difference in recognizing nodules in these regions."
Doctors order CT (computed tomography) scans to help identify lung diseases and conditions such as cancer, blood clots, or damage caused by smoking. Annual scans are recommended for current or former smokers who meet certain criteria because early detection can make a significant difference in survival rates.
There are certain areas within the lungs where identifying nodules is more challenging. The software can actually subtract out the vessels leaving only the nodules behind. It can definitely make a big difference in recognizing nodules in these regions.
— Dr. Anthony Filly, radiologist at Community Hospital
It's not unusual to find nodules in a CT chest scan: The American Thoracic Society estimates that nodules are found in up to half of adults who get an X-ray or CT scan. Most are "medically insignificant," Filly says, meaning they aren't causing any issues.
What radiologists are looking for, he says, are those that are suspicious — because of size, shape, or changes over time. The new software is also useful for that, he says, because it not only measures the size, but also calculates the volume of nodules that are detected.
The software, ClearRead™ CT with Clear Visual Intelligence™, is made by Riverain Technologies and is being used at healthcare facilities including Veterans Administration hospitals and large healthcare systems like Cedars-Sinai in Southern California and the University of California San Diego Health.
"The benefit to patients is the increased sensitivity [of the software], the ability to find the nodules that are in areas that are really problematic," Filly says.
That increased sensitivity is crucial, Filly says, because it ultimately empowers doctors to catch more nodules, and catch them earlier, leading to better health outcomes for patients.
Filly estimates that the technology saves radiologists a few minutes per scan, and with an increasing demand for radiology services, that can amount to significant amounts of time saved every day.
"It's nice for us from a time-saving standpoint," he says. "But more than that, it's the sensitivity and being able to up your level of confidence that you're finding the ones that are really subtle that the human eye may have more trouble perceiving."
A doctor's referral is required for CT scans at Community Hospital and Montage Health's other radiology and imaging facilities. When you receive an order from your doctor, call (831) 649-7231 to schedule your test.
