Microsoft researchers say an artificial intelligence tool designed to diagnose patients step by step was more than twice as accurate as general physicians in solving complex medical cases, according to a study published on Thursday in the journal Science.
The AI system uses an “orchestrator” that coordinates a simulated panel of clinical experts to determine the questions to ask patients, the physical examinations to conduct and the tests required to reach a diagnosis.
Unlike existing medical AI models, which typically analyse a patient’s symptoms, laboratory results and imaging studies simultaneously to generate a diagnosis, the new tool follows a sequential approach.
It begins by assessing a patient’s medical history and identifying significant findings from physical examinations. Based on the information gathered, it determines which tests to order, evaluates the results and requests further investigations where necessary, while continuously updating its diagnostic hypotheses and plans.
In tests involving more than 300 highly unusual and complex medical cases, the AI model was more than twice as accurate as general physicians who relied on textbooks and the internet to assess patients and determine diagnoses.
The tool also outperformed human physicians when tested against scenarios drawn from a major database of emergency room admissions.
The researchers said previous assessments of medical AI systems often relied on multiple-choice questions, which they argued did not adequately reflect the complexities of real-world clinical practice.
“AI has become very good at getting a 100% pass rate on those,” said Dr. Dominic King, corporate vice president of the health unit at Microsoft AI.
“But of course, that’s not real-world. No patient ever came to see me with a nice summary,” he added.
The study also found that diagnostic assessments conducted using the AI orchestrator cost less than those carried out by human doctors.
Harsha Nori, head of AI at Microsoft AI Health, said the research assessed not only diagnostic accuracy but also how carefully and efficiently the system conducted investigations.
“We’re not just measuring the accuracy of the systems. We’re also measuring how judiciously and carefully it goes through a diagnostic work-up,” Nori said.
Microsoft researchers will next collaborate with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston to evaluate the tool’s ability to triage patients in emergency department waiting rooms.
Boluwatife Enome
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