Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignant tumor among women globally and the primary cause of mortality, claiming over 670,000 lives annually. Early detection is crucial for effective treatment outcomes. Despite this, current mammography faces numerous challenges in detecting early-stage diseases due to subtle symptoms and the voluminous data that requires meticulous analysis. This year's AI4Health.Cro challenge is to create an application prototype that improves the detection of potentially cancerous lesions in mammographic images.

Applications for the AI4Health.Cro innovation challenge are open until January 14, 2025. The competition is open to adults in teams of two to five members. Applications must be submitted through the official form available on the project's website, offering participants a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the development of innovative AI solutions in breast cancer diagnostics and enhance the healthcare system.

A Stark Call for Accurate and Swift Solutions

Breast cancer, accounting for a daunting 11.7% of all diagnosed cancers among women, underscores the inestimable importance of early detection. National breast cancer screening programs have significantly aided earlier diagnosis through organized mammographic screenings. However, the growing number of mammograms that need processing and the shortage of skilled personnel further strain the system. AI-based solutions could accelerate and simplify image analysis, enabling more accurate and quicker diagnostic decisions, thereby alleviating the healthcare system, improving resource management, and enhancing patient outcomes.

"Innovators will use real but anonymized mammographic data, ensuring that the developed solutions are directly applicable in clinical settings while adhering to stringent personal data protection standards and not compromising patient confidentiality," explains Dr. Anja Barešić, Coordinator of AI4Health.Cro and Head of the Laboratory for Computational Biology and Translational Medicine at the Ruđer Bošković Institute.

Innovations That Save Lives

Participants are expected to create original solutions that can be practically integrated into current diagnostic frameworks. These solutions must include comprehensive documentation, AI code, and other technical details to ensure their reproducibility by evaluators. Additionally, each team must prepare a brief presentation highlighting the business aspects of their solution, such as innovativeness, market potential, and sustainability.

"In the AI4Health.Cro innovation challenge, participants will face four key tasks," said Dr. Tomislav Šmuc, Head of the Division of Electronics at the Ruđer Bošković Institute and Coordinator for Science and Technology of the AI4Health.Cro project. "First, develop a model that identifies breast lesions from mammograms using a special system known as BI-RADS. Second, precisely determine where these lesions are located, which is crucial for accurate diagnosis. Third, analyze how their AI model makes decisions, ensuring clarity for users and enhancing the tool's reliability in real use."

Join by January 8, Be Part of the Change, and Win Cash Prizes

"A prize of 5,000 euros awaits the winning team, with significant awards for the second and third places as well," stated Frane Šesnić, Director of ZICER. "However, I must emphasize that the real value of participation goes beyond financial incentives. Through this competition, participants have a unique opportunity to positively impact public health. Moreover, the ultimate goal is to create economically sustainable projects, with ZICER providing support through its capacities. Participating in such competitions, through intensive work experience, expanding contacts, and connecting with proactive members of the economic and academic communities, competitors truly have a chance to save lives. And that is priceless!"

The competition calendar is precisely set, with the deadline for applications on January 14, 2025. The project will culminate with a Demo Day in early April, where finalists will have the opportunity to present their innovative solutions to the media, potential investors, and domestic and international experts in healthcare and IT technology, at the Annual AI4Health.Cro Conference in Zagreb, traditionally held in April.