Artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging is rapidly growing to advance healthcare in adults but is less developed in the pediatric population. Unfortunately, many of the algorithms developed for use in adults cannot be used for children. This inability to translate adult tools to pediatric patients is due to many factors, including the wide range of body sizes, normal growth and development, different disease types, diverse manifestations of similar disorders, imaging bioeffects (such as to contrast media and radiation), and unique socioeconomic factors.
Pediatric patient needs are not being sufficiently considered when AI is developed, tested or deployed, and applications may be ineffective or detrimental to pediatric patients.Specifically, to date, none of commercially available medical imaging AI tools that diagnose, triage, or detect abnormalities were designed to be used in pediatric patients, and only a handful of tools for image processing or quantification have been developed to be used in pediatric patients. For this reason a Pediatric AI Working Group in the ® Informatics Commission has been established and is sponsoring the Image IntelliGently™ campaign to ensure equal access to high-quality and safe AI for pediatric patients.
Simulated workflows illustrating the potential impact on pediatric patients when Artificial Intelligence is used for worklist prioritization.
The Pediatric Panel of the Data Science Institute® (DSI) is charged with creating use cases designed to guide developers through the creation of pediatric-focused AI algorithms needed to Image IntelliGently. Explore the variety of pediatric cases and additional resources available:
with the DSI.
AI algorithms for medical imaging that are trained, validated and tested only on ADULTS pose a potential safety risk to children. Regulatory and legislative stakeholder engagement is key to ensuring the medical community continues to Image IntelliGently. Read our latest advocacy efforts:
If you’re using AI in pediatric patients, we want to hear from you! |
If you’re using AI in adults, but not pediatric patients in your practice, address its impact on pediatric patients. For example:
If you’re using AI in pediatric patients, share your experience. For example:
If you want to help but aren’t yet using AI, educate and advocate for pediatric imaging AI. For example:
Image IntelliGently is composed of a wide variety of stakeholders, including private practices, academic settings and individuals with close ties to other relevant societies including , , and , and a variety of expertise in educational, clinical and research domains. The group is charged, through stakeholder consensus, with providing guidance to ensure that all pediatric patients will have equitable access to clinically meaningful AI as it becomes increasingly available for use in adults.
Through Image IntelliGently, our mission is to ensure access to safe and clinically useful AI for all pediatric patients.
Yasmin Akbari, MD Richard Barth, MD Steven Blumer, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAP Jonathan R. Dillman, MD, MSc, F, FSAR Steven Don, MD Shannon G. Farmakis, MD, FAAP Donald P. Frush, MD, F, FAAP, FSABI Ami A. Gokli, MD Safwan Halabi, MD Mai-Lan Ho, MD Ramesh Iyer, MD Aparna Joshi, MD Jeannie K. Kwon, MD David B. Larson, MD, MBA |
Robert D. MacDougall, PhD, DABR, CIIP |