Recent advances and future perspectives of machine learning techniques offer promising applications in medical imaging. Machine learning has the potential to improve different steps of the radiology workflow including order scheduling and triage, clinical decision support systems, detection and interpretation of findings, postprocessing and dose estimation, examination quality control, and radiology reporting. In this article, the authors review examples of current applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques in diagnostic radiology. In addition, the future impact and natural extension of these techniques in radiology practice are discussed.

Machine learning includes a broad class of computer programs that improve with experience. The complexity of creating, training, and monitoring machine learning indicates that the success of the algorithms will require radiologist involvement for years to come, leading to engagement rather than replacement.

This is a condensed summary of an international multisociety statement on ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology produced by the ACR, European Society of Radiology, RSNA, Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics, Canadian Association of Radiologists, and American Association of Physicists in Medicine. AI has great potential to increase efficiency and accuracy throughout radiology, but it also carries inherent pitfalls and biases. Widespread use of AI-based intelligent and autonomous systems in radiology can increase the risk of systemic errors with high consequence and highlights complex ethical and societal issues. Currently, there is little experience using AI for patient care in diverse clinical settings. Extensive research is needed to understand how to best deploy AI in clinical practice. This statement highlights our consensus that ethical use of AI in radiology should promote well-being, minimize harm, and ensure that the benefits and harms are distributed among stakeholders in a just manner. We believe AI should respect human rights and freedoms, including dignity and privacy. It should be designed for maximum transparency and dependability. Ultimate responsibility and accountability for AI remains with its human designers and operators for the foreseeable future. The radiology community should start now to develop codes of ethics and practice for AI that promote any use that helps patients and the common good and should block use of radiology data and algorithms for financial gain without those two attributes.