New nanometer-precision AI tool can identify malignant cancer cells
A group of Spanish scientists have created AINU, an artificial intelligence tool that can differentiate malignant cancer cells from normal ones with nanometric precision
Spanish scientists have developed a tool based on artificial intelligence and with nanometric precision to differentiate malignant cancer cells from normal ones.
The tool, called AINU (AI of the NUcleus), is “capable of differentiating cancer cells from normal cells in the earliest stages of the tumor, opening new possibilities for early diagnosis and monitoring of the disease.”
It relies on the advanced microscopic technique known as STORM to scan “high-resolution images of cells.” Thanks to this innovation, scientists can appreciate details at the nanometric level, “revealing cellular structures 5,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.”
According to Professor Pia Cosma, researcher at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and co-lead author of the study, thanks to this achieved resolution it allows AINU to recognize specific patterns and differences with remarkably high precision, leading to early detection of the presence of malignant cells.
AINU can also detect viral infections at very early stages. “During the tests, the AI managed to identify changes in the cell nucleus just one hour after infection with the herpes simplex virus type 1.”
Dr. Ignacio Arganda-Carreras, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of the Basque Country, stressed that with this tool it is possible to see small changes in the nucleus of the cell immediately.
In the case of cancer, it contributes to early detection, “analyzing subtle changes in DNA structure and nuclear organization.”
For the implementation of AINU it is necessary to address some important obstacles, “such as the need for specialized equipment to obtain STORM images and the significant investment required in technology and trained personnel.”
On the other hand, with the current system only a few cells can be used at a time, which constitutes an obstacle to large-scale diagnosis. Scientists are confident that microscopes for STORM imaging will soon be available in laboratories and clinics to make progress.
M.Pino
Source: antena3
(Reference image source: Unsplash+, in collaboration with Getty Images)
Visit our news channel on Google News and follow us to get accurate, interesting information and stay up to date with everything. You can also see our daily content on Twitter and Instagram
