Validation of Artificial Intelligence as Decision Support System in VIA (PRESCRIP-TEC)

This research project aims to validate an image processing algorithm in order to study if the AI can function as decision support system (DSS) for healthcare workers, who perform VIA. The AI-DSS has been designed by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India and has shown a sensitivity of 99.05% and specificity of 97.16% for detection of aceto-white lesions. The first step of the validation process is a dry run using a database of VIA pictures with pathology confirmation. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of healthcare workers, an expert team and the AI will be analysed, based on the ground truth of database pictures. Thereafter, the AI-DSS will be validated under field conditions. Women who are hrHPV-positive in Uganda, India and Bangladesh will undergo a VIA. The AI is incorporated in a device, that can take pictures of the cervix and provide and instant report (positive = needs further investigation or negative = no lesions found). The user experience of the device will be evaluated. The AI-DSS will be validated by comparing the VIA assessment by health workers, the AI with assessment by the expert panel. Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the AI algorithm will be assessed.