Microscopes enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) could help clinical microbiologists diagnose potentially deadly blood infections and improve patients’ odds of survival, according to microbiologists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). In a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, the scientists demonstrated that an automated AI-enhanced microscope system is “highly adept” at identifying images of bacteria quickly and accurately. The automated system could help alleviate the current lack of highly trained microbiologists, expected to worsen as 20 percent of technologists reach retirement age in the next five years.
Uses AI for diagnosing potentially deadly blood diseases at an early stage.
Developed AI-enhanced microscopes to scan for harmful bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus sp. in blood samples with nearly 95% accuracy and much faster than is possible using manual scanning and analyses.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center