A COVID-19 diagnosis is routinely made by a positive test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. However, the current tests are fraught with challenges. Not only are there shortages of kits, but they take time to complete and carry a possibility of false-negative results. Researchers at Mount Sinai sought an alternative method for rapid and accurate diagnosis of patients with COVID-19. They are the first in the country to use artificial intelligence (AI) combined with imaging, and clinical data to analyze patients with COVID-19. In doing this, they have developed a unique algorithm that can rapidly detect COVID-19 based on how lung disease looks in computed tomography (CT scans) of the chest, in combination with patient information including symptoms, age, bloodwork, and possible contact with someone infected with the virus.
