AI to help doctors find and fix broken bones

AI software will be used to help identify fractures and dislocations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used in hospitals to find fractures and dislocations and provide quicker treatment as part of a new trial.

Emergency departments at the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust will take part in a two-year NHS England pilot scheme starting later this month.

Abdul Khan, a consultant in emergency medicine, said: "Making use of AI technology to assist in identifying potential issues has been shown to help to meet demand across northern Europe and we are excited to see if it has a similar impact here."

The trust said the AI software would be used as an additional tool to assist clinicians with their diagnosis.

The trust, which runs hospitals in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole, said the technology would not be used on patients under the age of two, for inpatient and outpatient clinics, or for chest, spine, skull, facial or soft tissue imaging.

Jake Bates, an advanced practitioner reporting radiographer, added: "The way it works is that alongside the standard image, the patient record will also contain a near-instant AI annotated version which will highlight any potential issues which the clinician may want to examine further.

"Every x-ray will still be examined by our clinicians, and they will make the final decision about the diagnosis and the correct course of treatment for that patient."

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