Diagnosing and treating burn injuries can be complex, but a new artificial intelligence (AI) system could revolutionize the process by assisting doctors in determining the need for surgery to prevent permanent scarring.

The AI system, DeepView, utilizes a specialized camera connected to AI software that can accurately identify skin damage with 90% precision, developed by Spectral AI, a Dallas-based AI company focusing on burn injuries and diabetic foot ulcers.

Traditionally, surgeons assess burn severity with around 50% accuracy, but DeepView can swiftly determine if skin grafts are necessary in a matter of seconds, a significant improvement from the current time-consuming methods that can take up to two days for diagnosis.

By training the AI system on thousands of burn images, Spectral AI's technology can differentiate between various burn types and assess the potential severity, streamlining the diagnostic process and reducing the need for prolonged hospitalization and observation.

Prof. Paul Chadwick, an expert in wound management and executive vice president at Spectral AI's UK subsidiary, highlighted the outdated and inefficient practices in wound care, emphasizing the potential of the DeepView system to enhance burn wound management and accelerate treatment processes.

In the UK alone, approximately 250,000 individuals sustain burn injuries annually, with a significant number requiring hospitalization for specialized care, including skin graft procedures. DeepView's innovative technology aims to expedite diagnosis and decision-making, potentially transforming the approach to managing burn injuries and improving patient outcomes.