Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s Pathology Group has become just the second group in the state to digitize pathology using artificial intelligence.
CRMC Pathologist Dr. Jason Nolan said the system analyzes thousands of images and is able to detect prostate and breast cancer. Nolan said the new AI system can provide results in as quick as 10 minutes.
“The patient gets the benefit of having multiple people look at their material and multiple different experts whether that be locally or anywhere in the world or be able to look at their material and get expert consultations in real-time and almost immediately,” Nolan said.
Nolan said before it would sometimes take three to four weeks to get results back. Nolan said the reduction in time decreases worry for patients wondering if they have cancer or not.
“There’s a lot of anxiety associated with that and a lot of mental anguish if you will, of wondering what someone has and it allows us to expedite those things and get them answers that can be used much quicker,” Nolan said.
CRMC uses an AI system called IBEX. Nolan said CRMC could not have reached the accomplishment without some funding assistance.
“Community Pathology is Cookeville Regional’s contracted pathology group and with the help of the Upper Cumberland Rural Development Fund we were able to purchase this equipment, install it, and implement it into our daily routine,” Nolan said.
Nolan said CRMC does not solely rely on the AI system as it is just a tool that pathologists are using when consulting with other experts.
