Scientists develop new COVID diagnosis test using X-rays: Will it replace RT-PCR testing?

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, scientists in Scotland have developed a groundbreaking diagnosis test using X-rays.

Here’s all we know about this new method of diagnosing COVID-19 and why it could be a gamechanger.

What is the test?

Experts at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), who have designed this method, said that it utilises X-ray technology to compare scans to a database of around 3,000 images, belonging to patients with Covid-19, healthy individuals and those with viral pneumonia.

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) process then uses an algorithm to analyse visual imagery and make a diagnosis.
According to the UWS team, the technique is 98 per cent accurate in detecting COVID-19.

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Professor Naeem Ramzan, Director of the Affective and Human Computing for SMART Environments Research Centre at UWS, led the three-person team behind the project, which also involved Gabriel Okolo and Dr Stamos Katsigiannis.

How will the test be useful?

Professor Naeem Ramzan explained that the new testing method may be helpful at a time when COVID and Omicron is causing an uptick in cases.

“There has long been a need for a quick and reliable tool that can detect Covid-19, and this has become even more true with the upswing of the Omicron variant.

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“Several countries are unable to carry out large numbers of tests because of limited diagnosis tools, but this technique utilises easily accessible technology to quickly detect the virus.”

He, however, cautioned that as COVID symptoms are not visible in X-rays during the early stages of infection, the new testing method can not fully replace RT-PCR tests.

““However, it can still play an important role in curtailing the viruses spread especially when PCR tests are not readily available,” he added.

The professor also said that results from the new method are quicker than a RT-PCR test which typically takes around two hours.

Professor Milan Radosavljevic, Vice-Principal of Research, Innovation and Engagement at UWS and another member of the team added: “This is potentially game-changing research.

“It’s another example of the purposeful, impactful work that has gone on at UWS throughout the pandemic, making a genuine difference in the fight against COVID-19.”

Current diagnostic tools for COVID-19

According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 tests can detect either SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or antibodies that your body makes after getting COVID-19 or after getting vaccinated.

Currently, there are two ways to detect this virus in the body; a RT-PCR test meaning polymerase chain reaction. It’s a test to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you have the virus at the time of the test. The RT-PCR test is currently known as the gold standard to check if one is infected with the COVID virus.

The other is the antigen test, which detects bits of proteins on the surface of the virus called antigens. Antigen tests typically take only 15 to 30 minutes. However, they are not considered to be accurate

With inputs from agencies

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