AI Ushers in a New Era for Tuberculosis Detection

KIMS Hospitals, Minister Road, has taken a giant leap in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) by conducting its largest-ever artificial intelligence (AI)- driven study on TB detection using chest X-rays (CXRs). The groundbreaking study retrospectively analyzed 16,675 chest X-rays of adult patients using the advanced AI tool qXR, without direct clinician intervention—marking a milestone in AI-powered diagnostics in India.

AI for TB Detection

The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of AI in detecting pulmonary TB and to measure its alignment with expert radiologists’ interpretations. The findings were striking: the AI tool demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.7%, showcasing its remarkable ability to correctly identify TB-positive cases. Furthermore, the tool exhibited a Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 97%, confirming its strong reliability in ruling out non-TB cases. With a specificity of 69.1%, the AI met and even surpassed the minimum criteria set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for TB screening tools. (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Screening for TB disease

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One of the most noteworthy outcomes of the study was the high level of agreement between AI-based assessments and radiologist interpretations. This significant overlap underscores the potential of AI to not only supplement but also strengthen diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-making—especially in high-burden, resource-limited settings.

Dr. Latha Sarma, Head of Department and Senior Consultant Pulmonologist at KIMS Hospitals, remarked, “The ability of AI to assist in TB detection with such high accuracy is a game-changer, particularly in areas where access to radiology experts is limited. This can have a profound impact on early diagnosis and timely treatment.”

Dr. Chaithanya Isamalla, Senior Consultant Radiologist at KIMS, added, “AI is not a replacement for human judgment, but it is an incredibly powerful tool for first-line screening. It helps streamline workflows and ensures that complex cases get the focused attention they require.”

The study highlights the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly in combating infectious diseases like TB. Tools like qXR offer promising opportunities to scale up early detection, reduce diagnostic delays, and ultimately improve treatment outcomes. As the integration of AI into healthcare systems becomes more widespread, KIMS Hospitals' pioneering work sets the stage for broader adoption of AI technologies in medical diagnostics—ushering in a new era of smarter, faster, and more accessible healthcare.

Reference:

1. Screening for TB disease - (https://www.who.int/activities/screening-for-tb-disease)

Source-Medindia