Revolutionizing Lung Cancer Detection: The Role of AI-Derived CAD Software

By Staff Writer

July 12, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-derived computer-aided detection (CAD) software may be a game-changer in the field of lung cancer screening. These technologies can potentially enhance the detection and measurement of lung nodules in CT scan images, making them a cost-effective solution. However, more evidence is needed to ascertain which technologies are the most clinically and cost-effective.

There is little clinical-effectiveness evidence available on any of the individual technologies which means that more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of these technologies. For example, the software could potentially identify more people with benign lung nodules, leading to unnecessary anxiety and CT surveillance. 

Despite these uncertainties, the potential benefits of AI-derived CAD software cannot be ignored. Not only can it potentially increase the detection of lung nodules, but it can also improve reporting of nodule characteristics, assess the growth of lung nodules, and reduce the time to review and report CT scans. 

NICE encourages centres using AI-derived CAD software as part of targeted lung cancer screening to continue generating evidence and sharing their findings. This will help to realise the full potential of these technologies and facilitate comparisons between different software.

Recommendations for further research on the effect of using the software on clinical decision making and the effect of using the software on scan review and reporting time, are listed in the guideline.

Reference url

Recent Posts

Navigating Challenges for Small Countries to Access Innovative Medicines

By João L. Carapinha

July 31, 2025

Access to innovative medicines is a pressing issue for patients in smaller European countries. These nations often face significant barriers in obtaining timely and equitable healthcare solutions. The article "Ensuring access to innovative medicines for patients in smaller countries" (linked belo...
Mental Health Policy Integration: A Cross-Sector Imperative for Well-being and Productivity
The purpose of this update is to review a recent Lancet editorial (linked below) on mental health policy integration in public policy frameworks. The article “Mental health in all policies” emphasizes that mental health influences individual well-being, societal cohesion, and economic productivit...
Novartis Gains Approval for Groundbreaking Malaria Treatment for Infants

By Rene Pretorius

July 30, 2025

In this article we review Swissmedic's approval of Novartis' Coartem Baby. It is the first malaria treatment for infants under 4.5 kilograms. This novel formulation addresses a critical gap in antimalarial care. Existing treatments were unsuitable due to dosing and metabolism concerns in young in...