Smartphone AI screening to find cervical precancer
Validation of a lab-free low-cost screening test for prevention of cervical cancer: automated visual evaluation
An AI that reads smartphone photos of the cervix to find precancerous changes in women, especially those in low-resource settings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dl Analytics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Hollywood, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-10933016 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have a digital photo taken of your cervix using a smartphone-based colposcope (the EVA System). An artificial intelligence algorithm (automated visual evaluation, AVE) would read the image and give a fast result on whether precancerous changes are likely. The project will adapt the AI to run on the phone or via the cloud and then compare its results to standard screening methods like visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cytology. In a large Phase II study, about 10,000 women at health ministry clinics in El Salvador will be screened and those with positive screens (and a sample of negatives) will get colposcopy with biopsy to confirm results.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women presenting for cervical cancer screening at participating clinics (including those undergoing VIA or HPV-based screening) at the enrolled sites in El Salvador.
Not a fit: People outside the study area or outside routine cervical screening (for example not within the eligible age or unable to have a cervix image taken) would not be eligible to participate and thus would not benefit directly from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer fast, low-cost, lab-free cervical screening that helps detect precancer earlier and expand access to screening in low-resource areas.
How similar studies have performed: Early pilot studies and smaller evaluations of smartphone-based AVE approaches and the EVA imaging system show promising accuracy, but large-scale prospective validation is still limited.
Where this research is happening
North Hollywood, UNITED STATES
- Dl Analytics, LLC — North Hollywood, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levitz, David — Dl Analytics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Levitz, David
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.