AI will help operate our brains. Scientists are close to a breakthrough

British neurosurgeons predict that within the next two years, brain surgeries will be conducted with greater efficiency and safety thanks to the use of artificial intelligence. Simulations of such procedures are already being carried out, giving hope for rapid progress in this field.

Neurosurgical operations, such as for example brain tumor removal, are extremely complex and carry a significant risk. They require precision at the highest level, especially in the case of so-called critical areas in the brain and areas near blood vessels. Damage to these structures can lead to serious complications, therefore any improvements in this area are highly valuable.

A team of specialists from University College London believes that artificial intelligence (AI) could be the next breakthrough in neurosurgery. It is already known that with the help of AI, it's easier to perform pituitary gland surgery, which controls the secretion of many important hormones.

Dr. Hani Marcus from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in the United Kingdom, in an interview with BBC News, emphasizes "an overly conservative tumor operation means that the tumor will not be entirely removed. If, on the other hand, you go too far, you can damage this critical structure".

British neurosurgeons are working on an artificial intelligence system that has already analyzed over 200 video recordings of pituitary gland surgeries. They claim that in just 10 months, the system has gathered experience comparable to what a neurosurgeon acquires in 10 years of practice.

Dr. Marcus is convinced that "neurosurgeons with an experience like mine, with the help of artificial intelligence, are able to better recognize the boundaries of operations that cannot be crossed". He predicts that "In a few years, we will have artificial intelligence that has seen more operations than any human in their entire life".

Dr. Marcus is one of the doctors who train on simulators to perform neurosurgical operations using AI. Dr. Nicolas Newell, who believes that thanks to AI, he is able to better predict the next stages of the operation, also works in his team.

Viscount Camrose, responsible for the use of AI in the British government, believes that "Artificial intelligence greatly increases the efficiency of every individual - no matter what they do." He adds, "This is such a thing that anyone can create their own version of Marvel with it".

In the United Kingdom, as many as 22 universities are working on the use of artificial intelligence in medicine. AI is already being used in many areas of medicine, especially in imaging diagnostics. It speeds up the analysis of the obtained images and also increases the accuracy of their reading.

In radiotherapy of tumors, it has been shown that artificial intelligence increases the precision of the procedure. Thanks to it, it is possible to destroy the tumor more effectively while sparing the patient's healthy tissues. This is crucial in radiotherapy. In addition, AI speeds up the procedure without compromising its quality.