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AI to support breast cancer diagnosis in the UK
The world’s largest trial on the use of AI to analyze mammograms has begun, with the aim of improving diagnostic efficiency and reducing radiologists’ workload
Isabella V4 February 2025

 

The UK’s National Health Service is launching the largest global trial on the use of AI for breast cancer diagnosis, involving more than 700,000 mammograms. The aim is to test the reliability of AI in supporting radiologists, reducing waiting times and optimizing medical resources.

Key points:

  • Diagnostic innovation: AI will analyze two-thirds of mammograms to compare their effectiveness with human interpretation.
  • Operational efficiency: The system could halve the workload of radiologists, enabling faster diagnoses.
  • Large-scale trial: Involved 30 screening centers, with government funding of £11 million.
  • Challenges and outlook: Need to ensure equity in outcomes for all ethnic groups and address shortage of specialists.


The U.K. National Health Service is preparing to launch its largest-ever project to evaluate the use of AI in breast cancer detection. The trial, which will cover at least 700,000 mammograms performed in England, aims to determine whether AI technologies can successfully complement radiologists while providing the same level of accuracy and safety. Currently, each mammogram is analyzed by two radiologists to minimize the risk of diagnostic errors, but the new approach could reduce that need by putting AI in the role of “second reader.” If the results confirm the reliability of AI, the system will free up valuable medical resources, reducing the workload of specialists and speeding up reporting times.

The trial will use five different AI algorithms to analyze about 462,000 mammograms, while the remaining 238,000 will be evaluated using the traditional method. The results obtained will be compared to verify the match between the two diagnostic modalities. The project, funded with £11 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, represents a significant step in the modernization of cancer diagnostics.

Previous studies, such as one conducted in Sweden in 2023 on a sample of 80,000 women, have already shown that AI can reduce radiologists’ workload by about 50 percent without increasing the risk of false positives. However, experts stress the need to ensure that algorithms are calibrated to provide reliable diagnoses regardless of ethnicity and individual patient characteristics.

The trial is part of a broader plan to reform the British health care system, with the intention of improving early detection of cancer and enhancing the efficiency of services. Health Minister Wes Streeting announced the forthcoming publication of a national plan dedicated to the fight against cancer, in contrast to the previous administration’s approach, which had preferred a broader strategy on major diseases.

Although the trial will take several years to complete, top health officials highlight the urgency of addressing the growing shortage of radiologists, which could reach 40 percent by 2028.

AI represents an unprecedented opportunity to relieve pressure on the healthcare system by providing patients with faster and more accurate diagnoses when they are needed most.