The application of artificial intelligence in the early detection of uncommon diseases

14 February 2023

February is the month of uncommon diseases, which affect about 350 million individuals worldwide and 500 thousand people in our nation. Around 7000 uncommon illnesses have been diagnosed thus far, with barely 5% receiving treatment. All uncommon diseases have one thing in common: late and complex diagnosis, as well as insufficient detection of symptoms. A diagnosis can typically take up to eight years.

To ensure that patients receive timely and accurate diagnoses, three large health centers in Serbia – the University Clinical Center of Serbia, the University Children's Clinic in Tirsova, and CHC Zemun – launched the pilot project "Use of artificial intelligence in the early diagnosis of rare diseases" in collaboration with the Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Serbia. This will provide patients a higher chance of receiving therapy on time, increasing the likelihood of a favorable treatment outcome, halting illness progression, and leading a healthier and more active life with the support of the entire community.

The goal of this pilot project, which is being conducted under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and in collaboration with the innovative Japanese pharmaceutical company "Takeda," is to influence the reduction of the complexity of diagnosing rare diseases through the use of modern digital technologies, shorten the time until an accurate diagnosis is made, reduce pressure on the health care system, and, as a result, redirect treatment costs to adequate care.

Further information on the project "Use of artificial intelligence in the early diagnosis of rare illnesses," the duties of the IVI researchers, and the expected outcomes may be found at the following link.