Posted by 
A computer has ability to predict a patient’s lifespan by looking at images of their organs. Scientists used artificial
intelligence to analyse the medical imaging of 48 patients’ chests. This computer-based analysis was able to predict which patients would die within five years, with 69% accuracy.
Predicting the lifespan of a patient is useful because it may enable doctors to tailor treatments to the individual.
The accurate assessment of biological age and the prediction of a patient’s longevity has so far been limited by doctors’ inability to look inside the body and measure the health of each organ.
Instead of focusing on diagnosing diseases, the automated systems can predict medical outcomes in a way that doctors are not trained to do.
Our research opens new avenues for the application of artificial intelligence technology in medical image analysis, and could offer new hope for the early detection of serious illness, requiring specific medical interventions. The researchers hope to apply the same techniques to predict other important medical conditions, like the onset of heart attacks.
