Russian AI Detects Breast Cancer in Minutes from CT Scans

Russian researchers have developed an AI system to detect early-stage breast cancer from CT scans. The technology, created by teams at St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University 'LETI' and Almazov National Medical Research Centre, aims to speed up diagnoses and reduce errors. Late detection of breast cancer currently results in thousands of deaths each year across the country. The AI system functions as a clinical decision support tool, analysing CT images automatically. It flags potential signs of cancer and sends annotated scans to doctors for review. A final diagnosis, which typically takes up to 24 hours manually, can now be delivered in minutes.

The model was trained using 65 studies and 7,000 fully digitised images from the Almazov Centre's database. Unlike existing digital tools in Russia, this system focuses specifically on breast cancer detection in CT scans. Testing shows it reduces the risk of clinical error by 20%. Since 2022, at least 15–20 hospitals and medical centres, mainly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, have begun implementing or testing similar AI-supported systems. Facilities like Moscow City Oncology Hospital No. 62 and the N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center are among those adopting the technology.

The AI system's faster and more accurate detection could help lower Russia's annual breast cancer death toll, which currently ranges between 4,000 and 7,000. Hospitals using the prototype report improved efficiency, though precise public data on its widespread impact remains limited as of April 2026.