AI tool to tell apart bone damage from cancer return

After radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal cancer, some patients develop damage to skull-base bone — a severe complication that can be confused with cancer returning. This study is building an artificial intelligence tool using MRI scans and patient data to help doctors tell the difference between bone damage and actual cancer recurrence. The AI is being trained to be more accurate than radiologists reviewing scans alone.

Skull-base bone damage after radiation is often misdiagnosed as cancer returning, which leads to unnecessary treatment and delays in proper care. A better diagnostic tool could improve quality of life and prevent serious complications like blood vessel rupture.