Machine learning-powered X-ray analysis software poised to expedite diagnosis and enhance patient treatment
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) is currently trialling a new artificial intelligence (AI) software designed to provide faster and more accurate chest X-ray diagnoses. This trial, which began in early July 2025, is a significant step towards improving patient care and outcomes.
The software, which acts as a "second pair of eyes" for clinicians, is aimed at helping busy frontline staff detect serious conditions quickly and accurately, allowing for faster treatment of patients. The tool can identify up to 85 different findings, including those suggestive of lung cancer, acute infections, and incorrectly placed feeding and breathing tubes. It could play a key role in patient safety by detecting critical conditions such as chest sepsis promptly and reducing the risk of avoidable complications.
LTHT has partnered with AI company Annalise.ai and vendor-neutral platform Newton's Tree for this project. Tools like Annalise CXR, a recently launched decision-support tool for radiologists and clinicians, may be related to LTHT’s trial, given their similar timeline and function. Annalise.ai is committed to enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency for the NHS with proven, highly sophisticated technologies.
Haris Shuaib, CEO of Newton's Tree and NHS Consultant Clinical Scientist, expressed pride in supporting Leeds in this important deployment. Dr Aengus Tran, co-founder and CEO of Annalise.ai, also expressed his satisfaction about partnering with LTHT and Newton's Tree.
The regional project is backed by the NHS AI Diagnostic Fund and delivered through the Yorkshire Imaging Collaborative (YIC). Over 135,000 chest X-rays are performed annually at LTHT, many of which are crucial for urgent clinical decisions. The collaboration ensures that Leeds patients will benefit from some of the most advanced diagnostic tools available in the NHS today.
Dr Fahmid Chowdhury, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead for the project at LTHT, stated that the technology is about putting patients first and supporting clinical decision-making. Results from the new software are delivered in minutes, making it an invaluable tool for the hospital's busy frontline staff.
The deployment in Leeds is a strong example of how AI can be adopted responsibly and effectively when built around real clinical needs and backed by the right infrastructure. NHS England is actively fostering the responsible and ethical adoption of AI in healthcare settings, including imaging diagnostics like chest X-rays, to ensure that such technologies are used to their full potential while maintaining patient safety and privacy.
In summary, the AI software implementation at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is at an advanced trial stage, with anticipated positive impacts on patient diagnostic workflows, but pending full integration based on trial outcomes. The collaboration between LTHT, Annalise.ai, and Newton's Tree represents a significant leap forward in the use of AI in healthcare, with the potential to transform patient care and outcomes.
- This new AI software trial at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, aimed at faster and more accurate chest X-ray diagnoses, is a prime example of how digital health technology can enhance patient care and health-and-wellness outcomes.
- In partnership with AI company Annalise.ai and vendor-neutral platform Newton's Tree, the software acts as a 'second pair of eyes' for clinicians, helping detect medical-conditions like lung cancer, acute infections, and incorrectly placed tubes quickly and accurately.
- With the potential to play a key role in patient safety, the software can promptly detect critical conditions such as chest sepsis and reduce the risk of avoidable complications, demonstrating the profound impact health tech can have on the science of medicine.
