The UK National Screening Committee reviewed the introduction of an artificial intelligence screening tool in the diabetic eye screening programme.
The review, published in The Lancet, found that there is positive evidence in test performance to support the use of automated retinal imaging analysis software (ARIAS) in the UK National diabetic screening pathway – a tool Scotland has used for over a decade. However, issues with impacts on downstream clinical results and any wider social impacts or ethical consideration were still being explored.
Following previous research from 2019 and 2021, the committee highlighted that the screening programme is resource intensive, and its costs are expected to rise with projected increases in diabetes prevalence. Therefore, the cost-effective suggestion proposed was to screen patients using ARIAS before human grading, or to replace the primary human grader.
The committee concluded: 'At some point, ARIAS are likely to transform the delivery of diabetic screening; however the introduction and evaluation of ARIAS is complex, and will require a multidisciplinary multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that any introduction of ARIAS is of benefit to patients and can be supported by the wider health service.'
