Use of artificial intelligence for classification of fractures around the elbow in adults according to the 2018 AO/OTA classification system.

BACKGROUND

This study evaluates the accuracy of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system, specifically a convolutional neural network (CNN), in classifying elbow fractures using the detailed 2018 AO/OTA fracture classification system.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 5,367 radiograph exams visualizing the elbow from adult patients (2002-2016) was conducted using a deep neural network. Radiographs were manually categorized according to the 2018 AO/OTA system by orthopedic surgeons. A pretrained Efficientnet B4 network with squeeze and excitation layers was fine-tuned. Performance was assessed against a test set of 208 radiographs reviewed independently by four orthopedic surgeons, with disagreements resolved via consensus.

RESULTS

The study evaluated 54 distinct fracture types, each with a minimum of 10 cases, ensuring adequate dataset representation. Overall fracture detection achieved an AUC of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83-0.93). The weighted mean AUC was 0.80 for proximal radius fractures, 0.86 for proximal ulna, and 0.85 for distal humerus. These results underscore the AI system's ability to accurately detect and classify a broad spectrum of elbow fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

AI systems, such as CNNs, can enhance clinicians' ability to identify and classify elbow fractures, offering a complementary tool to improve diagnostic accuracy and optimize treatment decisions. The findings suggest AI can reduce the risk of undiagnosed fractures, enhancing clinical outcomes and radiologic evaluation.