Integration of artificial intelligence with medical diagnostic sonography

Rapid changes in artificial intelligence (AI) have already impacted the medical field. While the use of AI to assist medical diagnosis has been documented, AI is continually expanding within medical applications. AI applications in sonography and their effect on ultrasound examinations and sonographers are still indeterminate. Six papers were reviewed to investigate AI applications and effects within the sonography field. These papers provided results on a range of ultrasound applications including breast, obstetric, skin lesions, carotid, blood flow and cardiac ultrasound imaging when combined with AI. In this narrative review, the application of AI demonstrated that accuracy and speed of clinical diagnosis can be improved. These six aspects of ultrasound imaging combined with AI demonstrated the potential to assist the operator and clinicians with a diagnosis in various applications and settings. Additionally, AI can be beneficial to telehealth applications for rural and remote areas where healthcare access can be limited. These changes are opportunities to assist with medical care to provide benefits to patients, sonographers and clinicians as AI transitions to a positive integration within many aspects of clinical care.