Artificial Intelligence in Nuclear Medicine: Opportunities, Challenges, and Responsibilities Toward a Trustworthy Ecosystem

• DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263703
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15T22:20:18Z
• Authors: Babak Saboury; Tyler Bradshaw; Ronald Boellaard; Irène Buvat; Joyita Dutta; Mathieu Hatt; Abhinav K. Jha; Quanzheng Li; Chi Liu; Helena McMeekin; Michael A. Morris; Peter J.H. Scott; Eliot Siegel; John J. Sunderland; Neeta Pandit-Taskar; Richard L. Wahl; Sven Zuehlsdorff; Arman Rahmim
• Keywords: 9. Industry and infrastructure; Molecular Imaging; 3. Good health; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Artificial Intelligence; Humans; Nuclear Medicine; Radionuclide Imaging; The State of the Art; Ecosystem

Trustworthiness is a core tenet of medicine. The patient-physician relationship is evolving from a dyad to a broader ecosystem of health care. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, the elements of trust must be revisited. We envision a road map for the establishment of trustworthy AI ecosystems in nuclear medicine. In this report, AI is contextualized in the history of technologic revolutions. Opportunities for AI applications in nuclear medicine related to diagnosis, therapy, and workflow efficiency, as well as emerging challenges and critical responsibilities, are discussed. Establishing and maintaining leadership in AI require a concerted effort to promote the rational and safe deployment of this innovative technology by engaging patients, nuclear medicine physicians, scientists, technologists, and referring providers, among other stakeholders, while protecting our patients and society. This strategic plan was prepared by the AI task force of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.