AI tool could help surgeons to assess donated livers
Hundreds of people are currently waiting for a liver transplant, but it can be difficult to judge whether or not a donated organ is suitable for use. Surgeons use as much information as they can to make that judgement, but they will generally be cautious. This can lead to some transplant centres rejecting more donor organs than others.
Researchers from Newcastle University and Bradford University have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) app called Organ Quality Assessment, or OrQA for short. It can use images of organs to provide a score that can help surgeons to make their decision about whether an organ is suitable to use. They are currently testing the app to see if it is helpful to liver transplant surgeons.
This research aims to reduce the number of donated organs that are discarded, potentially leading to an extra 60 liver transplants per year.
The study is expected to finish in 2028.
Chief Investigator: Professor Colin Wilson, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust
Trial Sponsor: Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust
Trial Funder: NIHR, Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme
OrQA-UK collaborative: Newcastle University and Bradford University, with support from Oxford University and Cambridge University