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UK Researchers Launch Unbiased AI Testing Platform for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

EurekAlertResearch
UK Researchers Launch Unbiased AI Testing Platform for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening

Researchers unveiled a new independent platform for fair, large-scale evaluation of commercial AI algorithms detecting diabetic eye disease within the NHS.

Key Details

  • 1First real-world head-to-head platform to evaluate commercial AI algorithms for NHS use in detecting diabetic eye disease.
  • 2Eight CE marked AI algorithms tested on 1.2 million retinal images from one of the UK’s largest and most diverse screening programs.
  • 3Algorithm performance (accuracy) ranged from 83.7% to 98.7% for clinically relevant diabetic eye disease, outperforming or matching human graders.
  • 4Algorithms’ accuracy remained consistent across varied ethnic groups; first such assessment at this scale.
  • 5AI analyzed images in 240ms–45s compared to up to 20 minutes for humans, vastly improving efficiency.
  • 6Funded by NHS Transformation Directorate, The Health Foundation, and Wellcome Trust; study published in The Lancet Digital Health.

Why It Matters

This platform addresses critical gaps in algorithmic fairness, transparency, and efficiency for imaging AI, setting a rigorous new standard for evaluation and deployment in national health systems. Its scalable, unbiased testing approach could serve as a blueprint for clinical AI adoption across radiology and other disease areas.

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