AI assistance boosts traumatic pneumothorax detection on supine chest X-rays, with greatest benefit for non-specialists

AI-assisted CXR interpretation significantly improved traumatic pneumothorax detection for emergency physicians (diagnostic accuracy OR 2.37, p<0.001). Non-specialists benefitted more than specialists, with a significant AI-by-experience interaction (p=0.010). Specificity was un…

• Study design: 20 emergency physicians (10 specialists, 10 non-specialists) interpreted 34 supine chest radiographs twice — with and without AI assistance after a washout period.
• Primary result: AI assistance independently raised diagnostic accuracy (odds ratio 2.37, p<0.001), driven by improved sensitivity; specificity and precision were not significantly affected.
• Limitation: Single-center, retrospective study with a small case set (17 pneumothorax, 17 controls), and AI was always used after the unassisted session, introducing potential order bias.

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