Artificial Intelligence in Spine Surgery: Imaging-Based Applications for Diagnosis and Surgical Techniques

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly proliferated though medicine with many novel applications to improve patient care and optimize healthcare delivery. This review investigates recent literature surrounding the influence of AI imaging technologies on spine surgical practice and diagnosis.

Robotic-assisted pedicle screw placement has been shown to increase the rate of clinically acceptable screw placement while increasing operative time. AI technologies have also shown promise in creating 3D spine imaging while reducing patient radiation exposure. Several models using various imaging modalities have been shown to reliably identify vertebral osteoporotic fractures, stenosis and spine cancers. Complex spinal anatomy and pathology as well as integration of robotics make spine surgery a promising field for the deployment of AI-based imaging technologies. Imaging-based AI projects show potential to enhance diagnostic and surgical efficiency, facilitate trainee learning and improve operative outcomes.