Ethical Considerations for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging: Data Collection, Development, and Evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bioethics

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into nuclear imaging.
• This integration introduces complex ethical considerations throughout the AI lifecycle.
• Ensuring health justice requires addressing these ethical dimensions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze major ethical risks associated with AI in nuclear imaging.
• To provide preliminary recommendations for mitigating these identified risks.
• To guide developers of AI-driven medical devices.

Main Methods:

• Drawing upon established principles of medical and research ethics.
• Consultation with the AI task force of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.
• Identification of four key ethical risk categories.

Main Results:

• Four major ethical risks were identified: data subject privacy, data quality and model efficacy, fairness to marginalized populations, and transparency of clinical performance.
• These risks manifest at various stages: data collection, model training/validation, and clinical use.
• Preliminary recommendations are proposed for risk mitigation.

Conclusions:

• Addressing ethical challenges is crucial for responsible AI implementation in nuclear imaging.
• Mitigating risks related to privacy, quality, fairness, and transparency is essential for patient and population well-being.
• Proactive ethical considerations are necessary for the development of AI-driven medical devices.