The Department of Radiology, in partnership with Mark III Systems, Dell EMC and NVIDIA, recently hosted its inaugural Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Educational Series highlighting current AI trends in medical imaging.
Organized by Collin Howser, MD, third-year interventional radiology resident, and Brent Savoie, MD, JD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiology and Vice Chair of Informatics, the six-part series featured presentations by industry experts on challenges and opportunities for imaging AI, and case studies on how AI can be used to augment radiology and improve patient care.
“AI in radiology will become ubiquitous in the coming years,” said Dr. Howser. “However, there remains significant challenges related to user knowledge of the field and implementation of the technology. Given these challenges, we saw this as an opportunity to be a launching point for our department’s AI initiatives and user education.”
The series attracted more than 110 attendees – internal and external to Vanderbilt – for the following sessions:
- “Intro to AI and Machine Learning” by Mark III Systems
- “Harnessing the Power of Computer Vision to Further Healthcare Efficiencies” by Whiteboard Coordinator
- “Challenges, Opportunities for AI in Medical Imaging” by Aidoc
- “Clara Train – Pre-trained Models That Can be Leveraged and Transfer Learning” by NVIDIA
- “Use Cases of AI in Neuroradiology” by Quantib
- “AI applications in Lung Cancer Screening with Specific Use Cases” by Aidence
“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the event, both in terms of content and attendance,” added Dr. Howser. “The fact that the event took place during such a dynamic year was a great illustration of our department’s commitment to being innovative and adaptable. Dr. Omary’s steadfast leadership and support were critical to the success of the event, just as it is for our AI initiatives moving forward.”
The AI Educational Series served as a springboard for the launch of a multipurpose AI Lab focused on validation, clinical optimization and training for emerging AI-related products. According to Dr. Savoie, the first industry partnership is being finalized and will be announced in the coming weeks.
"While many AI vendors have developed promising algorithms, very few have created products that can be efficiently used in the reading room,” said Dr. Savoie. “With the lab, we aim to bridge that gap by partnering with developers to optimize promising technologies for successful implementation in the real world."
