‘Humans think outside the pixels’ – Radiologists’ perceptions of using artificial intelligence for breast cancer detection in mammography screening in a clinical setting

Objective This study aimed to explore radiologists’ views on using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool named ScreenTrustCAD with Philips equipment) as a diagnostic decision support tool in mammography screening during a clinical trial at Capio Sankt Göran Hospital, Sweden. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven breast imaging radiologists, evaluated using inductive thematic content analysis. Results We identified three main thematic categories: AI in society, reflecting views on AI’s contribution to the healthcare system; AI-human interactions, addressing the radiologists’ self-perceptions when using the AI and its potential challenges to their profession; and AI as a tool among others. The radiologists were generally positive towards AI, and they felt comfortable handling its sometimes-ambiguous outputs and erroneous evaluations. While they did not feel that it would undermine their profession, they preferred using it as a complementary reader rather than an independent one. Conclusion The results suggested that breast radiology could become a launch pad for AI in healthcare. We recommend that this exploratory work on subjective perceptions be complemented by quantitative assessments to generalize the findings.