The Impact of New Technologies in Medicine: Artificial Intelligence an Augmented Reality

Interview with Dr. Aureli Torné Bladé by Houda Bakkali

Published October 2023

Dr. Aureli Torné Bladé, Head of the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, and member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia, discusses the challenges in addressing this disease, the impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence on its diagnosis, the importance of prevention, and the value of communication when referring to breast cancer.

Dr. Aureli Torné represents one of the most authoritative and respected voices in the field of gynecologic oncology. His contribution to the research and treatment of cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, the management of human papillomavirus, as well as to the field of gynecological medicine and obstetrics, has been widely recognized. He has participated as a researcher in 35 different research projects and has received more than thirty awards throughout his career.

The work of Dr. Torné is tireless. He has published more than 220 original articles, delivered more than 350 conference communications and 230 lectures at congresses, courses, and medical conferences, edited 7 books, and published 47 chapters dedicated to gynecological medicine. He has directed and organized numerous medical courses and congresses, participated as a professor in more than 250 courses, supervised 9 doctoral theses, and contributed to the drafting of 20 consensus documents and clinical guidelines. Throughout his career, he has also held different roles and responsibilities in scientific institutions around the world, including the Spanish Association of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy, the Terminology Committee of the International Federation of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy, and the Ibero-American Society of Vulva and Vagina, among others.

How can Artificial Intelligence transform the healthcare sector?

Artificial Intelligence has emerged as a tool capable of handling vast amounts of data while simultaneously learning from and rapidly analyzing all this information. The truth is that applying this potential to different areas of Medicine will undoubtedly help physicians provide better clinical care by reducing errors in the diagnosis and treatment of our patients.

How is it currently being applied in clinical practice?

Although we are still in the early stages of the clinical application of Artificial Intelligence, there are already numerous examples demonstrating the usefulness of these tools in clinical practice. Some of these examples include the detection of certain types of cancer and support for more personalized treatments, thanks to the ability to assess an enormous amount of data from patients’ medical records or from the scientific literature, for example.

Last week, the press reported that a radiotherapy system at the Catalan Institute of Oncology, thanks to Artificial Intelligence, is able to integrate real-time data to improve the treatment of certain tumors, such as bladder tumors, whose anatomy undergoes constant changes. This makes it possible to increase treatment effectiveness while reducing unnecessary irradiation of surrounding organs.

How can Artificial Intelligence contribute to prevention and early diagnosis?

As we know, one of Artificial Intelligence’s greatest strengths is the analysis and processing of images such as X-rays, histological biopsy images, and 3D medical scans such as CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). In all these areas, Artificial Intelligence can contribute to the ultimate clinical goal of developing tools that help us improve diagnosis.

Today, we are talking about intelligent radiomics for the early diagnosis of lung diseases. Some practical examples include software that contributes to the early diagnosis of lung cancer through CT scans, or to the early detection and monitoring of pulmonary embolism in patients with COVID-19.

Do new technologies such as augmented reality and Artificial Intelligence make Medicine more creative?

The truth is that new technologies, augmented reality, and Artificial Intelligence have not yet completed their rollout in Medicine, but examples demonstrating their effectiveness are already beginning to emerge. Undoubtedly, some of these solutions incorporate greater creativity, for example, in the development of new medicine package inserts that are more educational through augmented reality and can even show patients how the medication works inside their bodies. There are also anatomy study programs that allow students to visualize the human body through augmented reality in a way that is both easy and spectacular. Another example is augmented reality programs for the treatment of phobias and mental disorders, designed with immersive experiences that expose patients with mental illnesses to carefully controlled stressful situations so that they can overcome phobias, panic, anxiety, and similar conditions.Ultimately, all these examples are just a few glimpses of the extraordinary potential these technologies may offer in the years ahead.