Computer Diagnosis in Medicine

The benefit of using technology to the fullest extent to reduce medical errors and create greater efficiency now receives extensive attention. What hasn’t been addressed is the role that technology can play in reducing patient stress. Much research has revealed the negative impact of what psychologists call minor life stressors, or “daily hassles” such as getting stuck in traffic, waiting in line, or filling out forms. As it turns out, recent research reveals that in some cases, these continued annoyances are even worse than a single “major life stressor”, such as dealing with a major illness or death in the family.
Alvarez RC. The promise of e-Health - a Canadian perspective. eHealth Int. 2002 Sep 17;1(1):4.

Expert systems: apply reasoning capabilities to reach a conclusion. An expert system can process large amounts of known information and provide conclusions based on them.

Case based reasoning

AI

Artificial intelligence (abbreviated AI, also some times called Synthetic Intelligence ) is defined as intelligence exhibited by an artificial entity. Such a system is generally assumed to be a computer.

Although AI has a strong science fiction connotation, it forms a vital branch of computer science, dealing with intelligent behavior, learning and adaptation in machines. Research in AI is concerned with producing machines to automate tasks requiring intelligent behavior. Examples include control, planning and scheduling, the ability to answer diagnostic and consumer questions, handwriting, speech, and facial recognition. As such, it has become a scientific discipline, focused on providing solutions to real life problems. AI systems are now in routine use in economics, medicine, engineering and the military, as well as being built into many common home computer software applications, traditional strategy games like computer chess and other video games.

For topics relating specifically to true (human-like) intelligence, see Strong AI.

AI in Medicine

Later this year, FDA plans to publish a Federal Register notice about its proposed policy for assessing and regulating various software, said Jurriaan Strobos, M.D., who is also an attorney and heads the policy research staff in FDA's Office of Policy.

Possible Criteria

Strobos suggested several criteria for determining whether software has the potential to adversely affect human health. Among them:

Is the software intended for critical use, such as pointing out imminent danger in an intensive care unit, or for a less crucial purpose, such as to store diagnostic images such as CT scans?

Is the user aware of the limitations of the program, and whether any of its recommendations depart from conventional medical practice?

How specific is the software to a particular patient? Does it provide general information on a condition, or does it manipulate specific data from a specific patient to develop a specific treatment plan?

How quickly do the software's recommendations need to be implemented? For instance, with an electrocardiogram program, will it recommend defibrillation at the appropriate time, or will it merely point out that a particular rhythm should be checked for abnormalities?

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2004/Jan04/01-21NxOpinion.mspx

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/795_compdiag.html FDA Examining Computer Diagnosis


Medical artificial intelligence constructs AI programs that perform diagnosis and give recommendations. AI programs use models of diseases and clinical manifestations.

Current expert systems are more likely to be used in clinical laboratories. After the first expectations for artificially intelligent diagnostic programmes, many such systems are not in use with few excxeptions. Yet there are challenges in developing such systems, they actually prove to be reliable and accurate (Shortliffe, 1987).


Symptoms are complaints or problems bringing a patient to a health care provider.

Understanding the significance of symptoms can be crucial. Headache and nausea can represent be manifestations of common conditions: flu, depression, or migraine. They may also be more ominous , such as brain tumors, metastases, ruptured aneurysms or hydrocephalus. Abdominal symtpoms may be triggered by such varied conditions as indigestion, gallstones or gastric cancer.

Symptoms may be chronic or acute, suddenly or progressive. The important thing to remember, is that understanding the underlying cause of your symptoms may be crucial. Education of patients improves the chance of obtaining the right diagnosis and correct treatment.


The modern hospital > Specialized health- and medical-care facilities > Extended health care

With the advance in medical science and the ever-increasing cost of hospital operations, the progressive-care concept is more attractive, both for outpatient and inpatient care. Progressive care can be divided into five categories: (1) intensive care, (2) intermediate care, (3) self-care, (4) long-term care, and (5) organized home-care programs. Two of the categories, self-care and home-care become overwhelmengly improtant.

Examples of Medical Software

Algorithms are step-by-step procedures as made popular in computer programs. Doctors use certain algorithms as hints in making a diagnosis, in some cases. A diagnosis algorithm may specify a particular set of questions to ask patients, a set of medical tests to order, and a decision sequence based on certain results of these tests. No algorithms are perfect. A human doctor is usually far better than any automated system in determining the cause of symptoms.

Software Patent: Medical diagnostic method and apparatus to control dual energy exposure techniques based on image information

http://gauss.ffii.org/PatentView/EP1216661

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