The State of Radiology AI: Considerations for Purchase Decisions and Current Market Offerings

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The field of radiology is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced diagnostic capabilities.
• The AI market in radiology is experiencing rapid growth and product diversification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline key considerations for acquiring radiology AI software.
• To present a market overview of current AI software offerings, categorized by function, subspecialty, and imaging modality.

Main Methods:

• A review of critical purchasing factors including data ownership, privacy, cost, and performance metrics.
• Market analysis of AI companies identified from major radiology conferences (2016-2019), focusing on deep learning for imaging analysis.

Main Results:

• 119 AI software solutions from 55 companies were identified, with 46 holding regulatory approvals.
• AI software primarily targets diagnostic and quantitative tasks, with a focus on nodule detection in chest CT and mammography.
• Limited AI development is noted in pediatric radiology and nuclear medicine.

Conclusions:

• The radiology AI market is maturing, offering a growing number of solutions.
• Radiologists and administrators must thoroughly evaluate AI products and purchasing factors before implementation.