iHEALTH Researchers Develop Artificial Intelligence Tools to Detect Prostate Cancer

In Chile, prostate cancer ranks among the most common cancers in men, and its early detection remains a challenge due to the limited availability of specialized medical imaging. In response, local researchers are developing artificial intelligence-based solutions to speed up diagnosis, minimize errors, and improve access to more accurate assessments.

June 11 marks World Prostate Cancer Day—a condition diagnosed in over 8,000 men in Chile, making it one of the most prevalent cancers in the country. While the disease can be successfully treated if detected early, many patients face barriers to obtaining a timely and accurate diagnosis.

In this context, two lines of research developed at the Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering (iHEALTH) aim to enhance the imaging that guides medical decisions and reduce subjectivity in interpretation using artificial intelligence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The shared goal is to make prostate cancer diagnosis more precise, faster, and accessible.

One of these research lines is led by radiologist Dr. Cecilia Besa, Associate Professor at the School of Medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Principal Investigator at iHEALTH. She investigates how artificial intelligence can be applied to detect patterns in medical images, moving toward a more objective and reproducible evaluation.

"Today’s analysis of prostate MRI is still heavily dependent on the human eye, and the radiologist's clinical experience can make a big difference", explains Besa. Her work seeks to reduce this variability by providing tools that enable a more standardized assessment of prostate tumors and help improve risk classification for patients. Additionally, her research has made it possible to assess tumor aggressiveness without the need for a biopsy, avoiding invasive procedures.

A second research project also seeks to enhance the use of MRI in prostate cancer diagnosis—but this time focusing on a particular type of scanner: low-field MRI (0.55T), which is more portable, accessible, and cost-effective. The project is led by physicist Dr. Ronal Coronado, Assistant Professor at Universidad de Las Américas and early-career researcher at iHEALTH. He is developing techniques to accelerate image acquisition during the scan using AI models. His work also includes strategies to improve image quality and, with it, the quality of diagnosis.

"This project aims to democratize access to advanced medical imaging, as the tools being developed for more affordable MRI systems will allow for diagnostic-quality images that are more feasible to implement in smaller healthcare centers", explains Coronado. His research is part of a FONDECYT postdoctoral project and aims to facilitate the clinical use of more affordable technologies without compromising diagnostic accuracy.

Both researchers are part of the Millennium Institute iHEALTH—funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)—which promotes an interdisciplinary approach to developing data-driven medical solutions. In the case of prostate cancer, this approach is translating into new tools that could have a concrete impact on how the disease is detected and treated in Chile.

“Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in men, especially those over 65, and it represents an increasingly relevant public health issue in a country like Chile”, says Besa. “According to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics, we are the fastest-aging country in Latin America, making it even more urgent to advance non-invasive and more precise diagnostic methods”.

“Research in MRI and AI applied to healthcare not only improves early disease detection, such as in prostate cancer, but also moves us toward a more equitable, precise, and data-driven medicine”, concludes Coronado.