Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Understanding Artificial Intelligence in your Imaging and Cancer Care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer technology that can support doctors such as radiologists and radiation oncologists in providing care when you need scans or treatment.

AI is now part of many healthcare services, including radiology and radiation oncology services.

This page explains what AI is, how it may be used in your care, and what it means for you as a patient.

The most important things to know are:

  • AI supports your healthcare providers – it does not replace them.
  • Qualified doctors and healthcare providers remain responsible for your care at all times.

  • You are involved in decisions about your diagnosis and treatment.

  • Your safety and wellbeing always come first.

1) How is AI used in your care?

AI tools can help your healthcare providers review medical images and, plan cancer treatments more efficiently and precisely.

AI does not diagnose you or decide your treatment on its own. It provides information that your doctors use alongside their training and experience. You remain in control of decisions about your treatment, supported by your doctor.

Before your appointment

  • AI can help request and schedule imaging.
  • Review your medical history to help your healthcare provider identify anything that may be important for your care such as previous allergic reactions, diabetes, or kidney problems.

During your treatment or scan
Many modern CT and MRI scanners already use AI to:

  • make scans faster
  • improve image quality
  • reduce blur if you move during the scan

During radiotherapy AI may help adjust treatment plans to match small changes in your body, such as tumour size or organ position.

2) Benefits of AI for Patients

AI can help improve your care by:

  • Finding small changes and abnormalities in your scans, and supporting your doctor or healthcare provider to reach clearer results
  • helping create radiotherapy treatment plans that target the treatment area while protecting healthy tissues.
  • working quickly and consistently, which can help doctors and healthcare providers share results sooner and start treatment earlier, with extra checks to support accuracy and safety.

3) Patient consent and choice

AI is increasingly used in healthcare to support timely and effective care. It may be part of the systems used during your imaging or treatment.

Your healthcare provider can help answer questions you have.

In many hospitals and imaging clinics, AI is built into standard systems and may not always be optional. If you have concerns or would like to understand your options, speak with your healthcare provider. They can discuss what choices may be available and help address any concerns.

4) Making sure AI is safe, and accurate

There are measures in place to make sure that AI is performing safely:

  • AI tools used in healthcare are carefully checked and monitored to make sure they work correctly.
  • AI results are reviewed by healthcare providers. Radiotherapy teams run regular safety checks to make sure treatment plans created with AI are safe and meet medical standards.

5) How your information is used and protected

AI may use your health information, such as scans or medical records, to support your care.

Healthcare services limit who can access your data and use secure systems.

Sometimes anonymised data (where identifying details removed) is reviewed to make sure AI systems are working safely and correctly.

You have the right to ask how your information is being used and how it’s being kept secure.

6) The Future of AI in healthcare

Researchers are always working to find new ways AI can help in areas like radiology and cancer care.

As these tools advance, your healthcare providers will continue to use them carefully, always prioritising your safety, care quality, and the patient-doctor relationship.

7) Examples of AI helping patients

AI is currently used in medical imaging and screening programs.

When AI is used in imaging and screening, it helps your healthcare provider but does not replace them. Your healthcare provider reviews your scans, explains results, and helps you understand your treatment options. You should ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how AI is used in your care.

Case study 1: AI in breast screening

Case study 2: AI in lung scans

Case study 3: AI in radiotherapy planning

Case study 4: AI during radiotherapy treatment

Case study 5: AI in clinic notes

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Case study 1: AI in breast screening

When you attend breast screening, radiologists always review your mammogram scan. In some screening programs, AI is also used to read your scans. It can review scans quickly and carefully, and highlight areas that may need closer attention or further review. Your radiologist can then carefully assess these areas. By providing additional support for your radiologist, AI can help find cancers earlier and reduce the chance of something being missed.

What this means for you:

  • Your scans are always reviewed by a doctor or healthcare provider.
  • AI acts as a second set of eyes, not a replacement.

Case study 2: AI in lung scans

If you are at higher risk of lung cancer, you may be recommended to have a CT scan. In some clinics, AI helps radiologists review these scans. AI can assist by identifying signs that may suggest early cancer. In some cases, AI can provide extra information, like muscle and fat levels that may help determine the most suitable treatment.

What this means for you:

  • AI can help detect lung cancer earlier, when it is easier to treat.
  • Doctors and healthcare provider remain in control and explain the results to you.

AI is being used to support healthcare providers in delivering radiotherapy. Healthcare providers remain responsible for checking plans, overseeing all changes, and discussing your health and treatment with you, to allow you to make informed decisions about your care.

Case study 3: AI in radiotherapy planning

Before radiotherapy begins, doctors and healthcare providers carefully plan the treatment by using scans to map tumours and nearby organs. This helps direct radiation to the tumour while avoiding healthy tissue and organs. 

In the past this was a slow manual process. Now, AI can speed up this up by outlining these areas, a process called auto-segmentation. Your healthcare provider will review and adjust the AI-created plan to ensure it is accurate.

What this means for you:

  • AI speeds up the planning process, so treatment can start earlier.

Case study 4: AI during radiotherapy treatment

Your body can change during radiotherapy. For example, a tumour may shrink, or your weight may change. In the past, these changes meant that treatment plans sometimes had to be redone, which delayed treatment.

AI can quickly adjust your plan each day. It analyses daily scans and adjusts the radiation beams to match your body. This allows the radiation to stay accurately targeted as your body changes and better protects healthy tissues.

What this means for you:

  • Your treatment is adapted to your body each day 
  • Side effects may be lower because less healthy tissue is exposed.
  • Doctors and healthcare providers oversee all changes made by AI.

Case study 5: AI in clinic notes

During your appointment, your healthcare provider may use an AI Scribe. This is an AI tool that “listens” to the appointment and drafts a summary note. 

This aims to save time and reduce the burden of typing, so your healthcare provider can focus more on you during the visit.

The AI-generated notes are always reviewed and corrected by your healthcare provider before it goes into your medical record. Some healthcare providers find this helps improve the accuracy and clarity of the notes, as important details are less likely to be missed.

What this means for you:

  • You benefit from clearer and faster summary notes.
  • Your healthcare provider still approves and finalises all documentation.
  • Your privacy is protected, as recordings and notes are handled under the same rules as your health records.

For more information University of Queensland has published helpful information on AI scribes in healthcare, “Should you consent to your doctor using an AI scribe?”:

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