[Artificial intelligence research advances in discrimination and diagnosis of pulmonary ground-glass nodules]

Lung cancer, which accounts for about 18% of all cancer-related deaths worldwide, has a dismal 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. Survival rates for early-stage lung cancers (stages IA1, IA2, IA3, and IB, according to the TNM staging system) are significantly higher, underscoring the critical importance of early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Ground-glass nodules (GGNs), which are commonly seen on lung imaging, can be indicative of both benign and malignant lesions. For clinicians, accurately characterizing GGNs and choosing the right management strategies present significant challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI), specifically deep learning algorithms, has shown promise in the evaluation of GGNs by analyzing complex imaging data and predicting the nature of GGNs, including their benign or malignant status, pathological subtypes, and genetic mutations such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. By integrating imaging features and clinical data, AI models have demonstrated high accuracy in distinguishing between benign and malignant GGNs and in predicting specific pathological subtypes. In addition, AI has shown promise in predicting genetic mutations such as EGFR mutations, which are critical for personalized treatment decisions in lung cancer. While AI offers significant potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of GGN assessment, challenges remain, such as the need for extensive validation studies, standardization of imaging protocols, and improving the interpretability of AI algorithms. In summary, AI has the potential to revolutionise the management of GGNs by providing clinicians with more accurate and timely information for diagnosis and treatment decisions. However, further research and validation are needed to fully realize the benefits of AI in clinical practice.