Michael T. Lu, MD, MPH

Massachusetts General Hospital

Academic Titles

Associate Professor, Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Research Program Affiliation

Member, Cancer Risk, Prevention, and Early Detection

Member, Cancer Imaging

Research Abstract

I am interested in applying machine learning to predict health outcomes, including cancer, from routine medical imaging.

Recent work used a convolutional neural network to predict long-term mortality (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2738349) and incident lung cancer (https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/M20-1868) from chest radiograph (x-ray) images. Predictions for lung cancer were more accurate than current Medicare lung cancer screening eligibility guidelines, without requiring detailed smoking history. This is an opportunity to identify high risk persons from existing data commonly available in the electronic medical record. Individuals at high risk may benefit from prevention, screening, and lifestyle interventions.