Vliegenthart is a radiologist at UMCG and cohort data expert at UMCG's Data Science Center in Health (DASH). Today, her inaugural lecture will take place at the Academy Building of the University of Groningen. In particular, she will discuss the radiologist's role as a guide to get the patient to the right place earlier. Examples from Vliegenthart's teaching assignment of 'Cardiothoracic imaging, in particular early diagnosis' will be reviewed. For instance, a computer tomography (CT) scan of the heart can not only show coronary artery disease at an early stage, but also exclude it with certainty.
A large increase in cardiac CT scans is expected in the coming years; education and training of colleagues are crucial for this. Giving GPs access to advanced diagnostics such as cardiac CT for certain patient groups may contribute to early diagnosis and more efficient referral in the future. Early diagnosis is also essential in lung cancer; radiologists can detect very early stages on CT scans. If screening for lung cancer is introduced nationwide, it will mean a lot of extra work; artificial intelligence (AI) will be able to help the radiologist assess all these scans. The radiologist's role as a guide in the healthcare landscape, can provide patients with faster diagnosis and treatment, better quality of life, and result in lower healthcare costs. And can sometimes even prevent disease.
More information about this lecture, including link to the livestream, can be found here.
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