AI could help fight lung cancer in New Brunswick
Horizon Health Network has partnered with a leading artificial intelligence company to improve lung cancer detection and management in New Brunswick.
Qure.ai, a global leader in health-care AI, has developed a solution that uses advanced artificial intelligence to assist radiologists and clinicians in identifying suspicious lung nodules and assessing cancer risk through chest X-ray and CT scan analysis.
“This project exemplifies how we’re applying our innovation framework to evaluate emerging technologies and measure their real-world impact on the care we deliver,” said Horizon vice-president of strategy, transformation and chief innovation officer Jennifer Sheils in a release.
“We’re building evidence-based practices that demonstrate measurable improvements in patient care, while also supporting broader efforts through our research, innovation and better health institute to advance research excellence and translate innovation into tangible health outcomes for New Brunswickers.”
The project is expected to enhance Horizon’s capacity to analyze chest imaging, supporting clinicians in managing increased volumes while maintaining high-quality, patient-centred care.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Canada.
Early detection can significantly improve survival rates and reduce the need for intensive therapeutic or surgical intervention.
“This partnership represents a significant advancement in how we approach lung cancer detection and patient care,” said Horizon chief digital officer Zach Kilburn.
“By integrating AI technology that works seamlessly with our existing infrastructure, we’re empowering our clinicians with enhanced decision-support tools that can help identify potential concerns earlier. This is about putting innovation to work in service of better patient outcomes.”
Qure.ai’s chief commercial officer Jim Mercadante said while proactive CT-based lung cancer screening strategies are a major step forward, they’re only part of the fight.
“AI has the power to cast a wider net,” he said. “To identify small lung nodules that can be indicative of early-stage lung cancer on routine CT and X-rays that may be obtained for other indications.”
