A computer tool measured brain tumors as well as doctors did
Original title: Artificial intelligence-enabled early intracranial volumetric response predicts systemic progression-free survival in the phase III CROWN study.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a look back at scans from people in a trial, not a treatment you can get.
The short version
An AI tool read brain scans about as well as two experienced doctors.
What was studied. Researchers used brain scans from a lung cancer trial called CROWN. Seventy-two people in that trial had cancer that had spread to the brain. An AI tool called VBrain measured their brain tumors, and 2 brain radiologists measured them too.
What they found. The AI tool and the two doctors agreed closely. The AI marked 68 main tumors to follow, while the doctors marked 32 and 51. Across 666 scan time points, the AI and the doctors did not differ. The AI also followed 322 tumors in all. When the AI showed tumors shrinking early, people tended to go longer before the cancer got worse. Measuring tumor width alone did not show that link.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Tools like this may help doctors see early signs that a treatment is working. They may also make scan reports faster and more even from one doctor to the next.
What it doesn't mean: This was not a test of a new treatment. The AI did not treat anyone, and it did not help anyone live longer. It is not a cure and not a promise about your own care. This was a look back at scans from one trial. Much more work is needed before tools like this shape everyday care.
Source: PubMed, September 7, 2026 · Read the original
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