Chapter 75: Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Neurosurgery

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data represent the big revolution of our time. AI embodies the ability of a computer to learn and master a skill that is traditionally human, whereas Big Data constitutes an incredibly rich source of information, with the potential to provide unprecedented insights in countless fields. Within the medical world, Neurosurgery is particularly well suited to exploit the benefits provided by this revolution, in consideration of the great quantity and variety of data produced every day in neurosurgical practice (radiological imaging, neurophysiological traces, electronic medical records, etc.) and its dependency on these data to provide state-of-the-art patient care. AI in Neurosurgery can change each step of patient care, from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up, as well as take the training of neurosurgeons to the next level. Powerful algorithms are being developed to extract in an automated way clinically valuable information from radiological imaging or pathology slides or to try to predict the occurrence of medical issues from longitudinal recordings of neurophysiological data; robotic surgery and augmented reality applications are designed to improve accuracy and precision of the surgical action. The ever-increasing connectivity of personal digital devices and their multiple sensors open the possibility to effectively follow patients, enabling the design of personalized recovery strategies. Finally, surgical training has a golden opportunity to be boosted through the use of simulators and virtual reality applications. The use of AI and Big Data presents however limitations and risks, mainly related to our ability of correctly interpret the algorithms’ output, as wells as understanding its basic mathematical structure. The close collaboration between surgeons and data scientists is the key element that will allow the minimization of such risks and will ensure the exploitation of AI and Big Data capabilities to their full potential.