A multi-center study found that AI-assisted prostate biopsy review improved diagnostic consistency, reduced lab workloads, and cut turnaround times by nearly a day in UK NHS pathology labs.
A multi-center study published in Nature Digital Medicine demonstrates that using artificial intelligence to assist pathologists in prostate biopsy reporting improves diagnostic consistency and reduces laboratory workloads.
The Articulate Pro study, highlighted by technology company Tempus, evaluated the Paige Prostate Suite within the routine clinical workflows of three United Kingdom National Health Service trusts: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust, and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. Expert histopathologists assessed biopsies from more than 1,000 patients in real time with the assistance of the software.
According to the study, AI-assisted review supported pathologists in updating the initial diagnosis or Grade Group for 5% of patients. Of these changes, 1.3% were significant enough to potentially alter the clinical management of the patient.
Impact on Laboratory Efficiency
The study found that the technology successfully flagged subtle cancerous lesions and prompted pathologists to adjust tumor aggressiveness grading. Laboratories using the artificial intelligence reported quicker diagnostic turnaround times, with patients potentially receiving results nearly a day sooner than standard workflows allow.
Integration of the software also led to a reduction in requests for extra immunohistochemistry staining. This efficiency could provide relief and cost savings for overstretched digital pathology laboratories, according to the press release.
“The rigorous, real-world results in the Articulate Pro study are a massive step forward for the global adoption of digital pathology,” says Razik Yousfi, senior vice president and general manager of AI products at Tempus, in a release. “Integration of the Paige Prostate Suite directly into routine workflows shows that AI doesn’t just work in a sandbox; it can actively alleviate the immense pressure on overstretched laboratories, cut down reporting times, and give pathologists an extra layer of confidence when making critical diagnostic decisions.”
Diagnostic Tools and Authorization
The Paige Prostate Suite consists of applications designed to aid in the detection and grading of prostate cancer. Certain applications in the suite are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and are CE-marked and UKCA-marked for clinical use with specific slide image viewers and scanners. Other applications within the suite are currently offered for research use only.
The study was led by Clare Verrill, a professor at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, and examined how the technology impacted clinical decision-making and the use of resources across the participating National Health Service trusts.
