UNAM develops auxiliary computing system for COVID-19 diagnosis

Experts from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have developed an auxiliary computing system available online that will help diagnose COVID-19 immediately through the monitoring of medical images.

For the creation of this prototype, the academic personnel, along with UNAM students, used computer vision techniques and artificial intelligence to analyze CT scans of axial sections that divide the patient between the top and low part of the thorax.

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“This system is used and evaluated by doctors at the “La Raza” National Medical Center of the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS) and its use could be extended to the whole national health system” reads a statement .

The use of this project is comprised of a first version 1.0 of the system that has a 90% efficiency . Changes in the 2.0 version include the possibility of locating the “characteristic injuries” caused by the new coronavirus , which would allow an easier diagnosis of the disease.

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The certainty and speed of the results allow for immediate treatment “without having to wait for the result of molecular tests which can take several days [to show results],” added the UNAM.

The 90% performance leve l was achieved thanks to the development of several models and simultaneous prototypes. The most complete methods were chosen following intensive tests .

The development of the system was directed by professors from the Faculty of Engineering (FI) and the Institute for Applied Mathematics and Systems Research (IIMAS) and had the support of Computer Science and Engineering postgraduate students, as well as from the Biomedical Physics major.

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