London cancer alliance integrates AI for faster chest X-ray results

North East London Cancer Alliance is leading a project to integrate AI into cancer diagnostic pathways, with the aim of reducing the wait time for chest X-ray results for scans with significant findings from three weeks to three days.

The alliance is using the Sectra Amplifier services and the Qure.ai, X-ray (qXR) AI tool to help radiologists and reporting radiographers prioritise urgent cases, improve decision-making and streamline the patient journey.

The project involves Barts Health NHS Trust, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Homerton Health NHS Foundation Trust, where AI is being integrated into chest X-ray pathways to ensure the timely identification of significant findings.

Oliver Hawkins, senior project manager at North East London Cancer Alliance, said: “It has been great working with Qure.ai and Sectra to deliver an AI-driven solution aimed at revolutionising diagnostic pathways in north east London.

“This provides patients with faster access to crucial diagnostic tests and improves overall healthcare delivery.”

Using AI will help the trusts reduce delays and streamline the diagnostic process, following a rise in chest X-rays from 139,080 in north east London in 2017 to 270,000 in 2022, a 94% increase in five years. The UK is also facing a 29% shortfall in radiologists.

By prioritising urgent cases and quickly sorting through the X-rays that find nothing requiring medical intervention, the AI system reduces delays in diagnosing critical conditions like lung cancer.

This means patients can receive faster treatment when needed, improving their outcomes by ensuring timely care. For those without cancer, the system provides quicker reassurance, giving them peace of mind sooner.

The technology is used to assist, rather than replace, the specialist teams working on diseases of the lung and airways.

Chris Scarisbrick, customer operations director and deputy managing director at Sectra UK, said: “At Sectra, we are proud to see the successful deployment of our Amplifier Service alongside the Qure.ai qXR AI application within the North East London Cancer Alliance.

“Our service’s marketplace and open approach to application integration streamlines AI adoption, embedding it seamlessly into radiology workflows.

“This collaboration showcases how a fully integrated AI-driven workflow can transform diagnostic efficiency.

“By seamlessly embedding AI into existing radiology pathways, we ensure that urgent cases are prioritised swiftly, helping to reduce reporting delays and improve patient outcomes.

“This is a key step in optimising clinical resources and providing faster, more accurate diagnoses, all while maintaining a seamless experience for healthcare providers.”

Qure.ai’s qXR solution was the subject of the LungIMPACT trial, a collaborative study between UK academia, NHS hospitals and Qure.ai.

The trial, which began in 201, triaged chest X-rays referred by GPs with the goal of identifying the presence of suspected lung abnormalities and then delivering immediate reporting on them.