Background

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the EPSRC Centre for Mathematical Imaging in Healthcare (CMIH) held this event to consider how to accelerate translation of artificial intelligence into clinical practice.

The NIHR funds high quality research to improve health, trains and supports health researchers, provides world-class facilities, and works with the life sciences industry and charities to benefit all, involving patients at every step, to improve the health and wealth of the nation.

CMIH is based at the University of Cambridge and aims to achieve synergies between applied mathematics and statistics through the focus on the analysis of clinical imaging, particularly that arising in neurological, cardiovascular and oncology imaging. The Centre is a collaboration between mathematics, engineering, physics and biomedical scientists and clinicians.

Aims and Objectives

This one day event aimed to review scientific and policy developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) when applied to clinical imaging. It identified key steps that will expedite the delivery of research in the field, in partnership with academia, industry, patients and clinical researchers.

The Programme included talks that will help:

• Monitor, develop and promote the pipeline of AI and ML imaging studies (including horizon scanning)
• Ensure the NHS and academia have the capacity to develop and deliver these studies (including training and development)
• Overcome barriers to conducting these studies
• Engage industry partners and patients
• Consider funding opportunities.

The outcome of the event will be the publication of a position paper for submission to a scientific journal and production of promotional literature to support artificial intelligence and machine learning in clinical imaging research in the UK.

This event was of interest to participants from the biomedical imaging, mathematics, engineering and computer science discipline, as as well as regulators, NHS Digital and key clinical organisations including the Royal College of Radiologists, The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, British Nuclear Medicine Society and the Society of Radiographers.

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF)

Within the meeting, as part of the delivery of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and UK Research and Innovation announced five new Centres of Excellence for Digital Pathology and Imaging, including Radiology, using AI medical advances. Each of the 5 Centres were represented and gave short presentations about their goals and objectives and how they will collaborate to share outcomes. More information about the announcement is available and copies of the available presentations are on the Programme webpage. 

Registration and Venue

Attendance was by invitation only, attendance was free of charge.  

The workshop took place at the Alan Turing Institute in London. Please see the Alan Turing Institute’s website  for further information about the venue.