New Delhi: A new X-ray based COVID-19 diagnostic test has been developed by Scottish researchers which is capable of giving accurate results within minutes.
A report in the Daily Mail states that the X-ray-based test may replace the RT-PCR tests currently being used to detect COVID infection. RT-PCR is a highly sensitive test and remains the gold standard for detection of coronavirus.
The technology, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the presence of the virus inside a person, has been developed by researchers at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS).
Researchers said the test was able to detect the virus faster than a PCR test, which usually takes about two hours to return results. In addition, the scientists claimed that the test is 98 percent effective.
The technology could be a boon for countries where PCR tests are not readily available.
How does the X-ray-based COVID test work?
The test uses X-ray technology to compare the scans to a database of 3,000 images belonging to patients with COVID-19, healthy people and others with viral pneumonia.
An AI process then uses an algorithm, known as a deep convolutional neural network, to analyze and diagnose the visual imagery.
The technology proved to be more than 98 percent accurate during testing, the researchers said.
“There has long been a need for a quick and reliable tool that can detect COVID-19, and this has become increasingly true. omicron version,” the Daily Mail quoted Professor Naeem Ramzan, influential and director of human computing for the Smart Environment Research Center at UWS.
“Many countries are unable to conduct large numbers of COVID tests due to limited diagnostic equipment, but this technology uses easily accessible technology to quickly detect the virus. COVID in X-rays during the early stages of infection – 19 do not show symptoms, so it is important to note that the technology cannot completely replace PCR tests,” Professor Ramzan said.
X-rays can prove to be important and potentially life-saving when diagnosing severe COVID-19 cases, helping to determine what treatment may be needed.
To evaluate the suitability of the approach in a clinical setting, the researchers now plan to expand the study and include a larger database of X-ray images obtained by different models of X-ray machines.
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