Artificial intelligence helps doctors measure bridge angle tumors faster – ICT and Health

The pontine angle is a place in your head between the cerebellum, brainstem, and internal auditory canal. A pontine angle tumor is not a brain tumor, but rather a tumor that usually grows very slowly and does not spread. Eric Hensen“Pontal angle tumors are usually benign, but a large and/or growing tumor can eventually cause major problems,” explains the ENT doctor at LUMC. “For example, it can affect the functions of the cranial nerves, especially those related to hearing and balance.” In rare cases, facial paralysis, confusion, blurred vision, and headache may also occur.In such a situation, it is important to intervene as quickly as possible, preferably before these problems appear.

Tumor size at bridge angle

But in about 60% of cases the tumor does not grow. In this case, it is not necessary to treat the tumor immediately. This is important because such treatment can involve risks. Monitoring tumor growth is also an option that the patient can choose with the doctor if the tumor is not growing. In practice, closely monitoring tumor growth is a time-consuming activity with a certain margin of error. In practice, the diameter of the pontine tumor angle is measured, but measuring volume is actually more reliable. However, volume measurement still has to be performed manually and is too time-consuming to be performed for all patients.

MRI scans

Thanks to new AI technology, this can now be done faster and more accurately. Through collaboration between the Department of Otolaryngology and Radiology and CAIRELab (artificial intelligence experts) within LUMC, we were able to use AI technology to create a self-learning computer program that calculates tumor volume over a short period of time based on MRI. data.scan. Hensen: “We trained the software in such a way that it can find a transverse angle tumor on a scan and measure its size. This applies not only to MRI scans performed at LUMC, but also to scans from different hospitals and MRI scanners. He showed We have already found that the software is accurate and reliable, but in practice, the doctor will always check the measurement himself.But this takes much less time than measuring yourself.

Artificial intelligence in oncology

Artificial intelligence in oncology is changing cancer care at an increasing pace. AI helps doctors, among other things, with earlier detection of tumors, better diagnosis, and personalization of treatments. For example, artificial intelligence algorithms now analyze large numbers of medical images to rapidly detect lung and breast cancer. Application possibilities are increasing, and it is now possible to measure the growth rate of transverse angle tumors quickly and reliably. According to the participants, this technology could soon be put into practice with the help of funding from the Dutch Cancer Society, for example.

Challenges and opportunities

According to Hensen, LUMC is the first hospital in the Netherlands to put this specific AI program for pontine angle tumors into practice. “This brings challenges. First, the software must be integrated into the hospital's IT environment, so that the measurements are also visible in the patient's electronic file. Then we can identify tumor growth more accurately, provide patients with better information and determine the best next steps with them.”

After the software is integrated into the IT environment, tests are performed using existing MRI scans. It is expected that the implementation phase will be completed within 3 years and the program can be used in daily practice. The researchers believe that eventually, the AI ​​technology could not only be used to treat pontine angle tumors, but could also be retrained to automatically measure tumor growth in other tumors.