Revolutionizing Community-Based Cervical Cancer Screening: Evaluating an Indigenous Artificial Intelligence-Enabled...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Devices
• Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• Cervical cancer is a significant cause of mortality among women in low-income countries.
• There is a critical need for accessible, point-of-care cervical cancer screening tools for community settings.
• Effective screening is vital for managing preinvasive and early-stage cervical lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an indigenous AI-enabled trans-vaginal colposcopic device, Smart Scope®.
• To compare the Smart Scope®'s performance with traditional cervical cytology and digital image assessment.
• To determine the utility of Smart Scope® for community-based cervical cancer screening.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 268 women was conducted.
• The Smart Scope® was used for cervical evaluation, alongside cervical cytology and magnified digital image assessment.
• Cervical biopsy, confirmed by histopathology, served as the reference standard for diagnosing lesions.

Main Results:

• Smart Scope® evaluation identified pre-cancerous/cancerous lesions in 17.5% of women.
• The device demonstrated a sensitivity of 68.4% and specificity of 65.5% when compared to biopsy.
• Assessment of magnified digital images by a trained observer showed higher sensitivity (89.5%) but lower specificity (49.1%).

Conclusions:

• Smart Scope® combined with trained observer image assessment is a potentially effective tool for cervical cancer screening.
• AI-based diagnostic improvements could enhance its role in community-based screening programs.
• Further research is warranted to optimize AI algorithms for broader clinical application.