RecruitingNot ApplicableInterventional

Prospective clinical evaluation of artificial intelligence in radiology

This study is checking how well artificial intelligence (AI) tools work in NHS hospitals. Doctors often use X-rays, CTs, and MRIs to spot problems, but sometimes mistakes can happen. AI tools are designed to help doctors find issues more accurately and quickly. We're testing these AI tools in real-life NHS settings while patients have their usual scans. The AI will help doctors look at the images. We'll collect information from normal patient care to see if AI improves diagnoses and treatment. This will help the NHS decide how best to use AI to improve patient care across the UK. Anyone having a medical scan in participating hospitals might be included, and doctors using the AI will also take part.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Not Applicable

Sponsor

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust

Enrolment target

45,000

Start

28 Oct 2025

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2028

Patients undergoing medical imaging as part of routine clinical care

What is this study about?

Imagine doctors using X-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans to help understand what's happening inside your body. These images are super important for diagnosing illnesses, but sometimes it's really tricky to spot everything, and human error can happen. This means it might take longer to get a diagnosis, or sometimes it might not be quite right.

Scientists and doctors have been working on special computer programs called Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help with this. These AI tools are designed to look at medical images alongside doctors and help them spot things more accurately and quickly. They're like an extra pair of very keen eyes! These tools have been approved for use, but we don't yet know exactly how well they work in busy, real-life NHS hospitals across the UK.

That's where this study comes in. We want to test these AI tools as they are used in everyday NHS care. When you have your usual scans, doctors will sometimes use the AI to help them. By doing this, we can see if the AI truly helps doctors make better, faster, and more accurate diagnoses, improving your care. This research is vital because it will help the NHS understand the best ways to use AI to improve healthcare for everyone.

Key takeaways

AI tools are being tested in NHS hospitals to see if they improve the reading of medical scans.
The goal is to help doctors make more accurate and quicker diagnoses.
If you have a scan at a participating hospital, your data might be used to evaluate the AI.
Your care will not change; doctors remain fully responsible for your diagnosis and treatment.
This research aims to improve future healthcare for everyone in the NHS.
You can choose to opt out of the study without affecting your care.

Who may be eligible?

This study is mostly about seeing how AI helps doctors in their everyday work with medical images. If you're a patient having a medical scan like an X-ray, CT, or MRI as part of your normal care at an NHS hospital involved in the study, you might be included.

For example, if you go to A&E with a suspected broken bone and have an X-ray, that might be part of the study. You don't need to do anything extra; your medical images will just be used to see how the AI performs.

NHS staff who use these AI tools as part of their regular job, like radiologists who read X-rays, will also be part of the study. If you prefer not to have your anonymous data used for this research, you can choose to opt out.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you having a medical scan (like an X-ray or CT) at an NHS hospital?
Is this scan part of your normal medical care?
Are you happy for anonymous information from your scan to potentially be used to help test new AI technology?
Are you attending an NHS hospital that is part of this study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you're a patient, taking part in this study won't change your usual care. You won't have any extra appointments, scans, or tests. You'll simply have your medical imaging (like an X-ray) as you normally would within a participating NHS hospital.

The only difference is that for some periods, the doctors looking at your scans might be using an AI tool to help them, and sometimes they won't. This helps the researchers compare how effective the AI is. Your medical images and information from your normal care will be used to see if the AI is helpful.

Very occasionally, some patients might be asked if they'd like to fill out a short, optional questionnaire about their experience about a month after their hospital visit. This is completely voluntary. The overall study has been approved to start and will run for some time, with different parts of the study having their own timescales.

Potential risks and benefits

There are some potential benefits to taking part in this study. The AI tools might help doctors make more accurate diagnoses, meaning problems could be spotted sooner or more correctly. This could lead to better and quicker treatment for you, and potentially reduce the need for extra hospital visits. Your involvement will also contribute to important research, helping the NHS decide how best to use new technologies like AI to improve healthcare for everyone. The main 'risk' is that sometimes the AI might point out something that isn't there (a 'false alarm') or miss something that is there. However, doctors are specially trained to use the AI as a helpful guide, not as a replacement for their own expert judgment. All AI tools used are approved for medical use, and your doctor remains fully responsible for all decisions about your care. Your safety will be closely watched throughout the study. You always have the right to withdraw your anonymous data from the study at any time without it affecting your care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Oxford University Hospitals
City only
Oxford, England

Common questions

What is AI and why is it being used in hospitals?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. It's a computer program designed to help doctors interpret medical images like X-rays, CTs, and MRIs. It's hoped AI can make diagnoses more accurate and quicker, helping doctors find problems faster.

Will the AI make decisions about my care?

No, the AI will not make decisions about your care. It's a tool to assist doctors in looking at medical images. Your doctor will always make the final diagnosis and treatment decisions based on their knowledge and experience.

Do I have to do anything differently if I'm in this study?

No, if you're a patient, you won't need to do anything differently. You'll have your medical scans as part of your normal care. Your images will then be used to see how the AI performed.

Can I choose not to have my data included in the study?

Yes, if you don't want your anonymous medical image data to be part of the study, you can opt out. This will not affect your medical care in any way.

Who is paying for this study?

The study is sponsored by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Different parts of the study may have funding from specific organisations, which will be detailed for those parts.

How to find out more

Alex Novak

alex.novak@ouh.nhs.uk +44 (0)1865 231550 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.