Viral X-Ray Report Shows “Verified/AI-Radiologist” Tag
New Delhi: A chest X-ray report labelled “Verified/AI-Radiologist” from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has triggered a nationwide debate after it went viral on social media.
The report, posted by a radiologist on X (formerly Twitter), appeared to show a normal chest X-ray automatically interpreted and signed off by an AI system. A disclaimer at the bottom stated that the findings were only “preliminary” and should not be used for a standalone diagnosis.
Disclaimers Raise Questions About Accuracy and Legality
The report explicitly mentioned that neither AIIMS nor the AI vendor Qure.ai guarantees the accuracy of the result, and that diagnosis must always be correlated with clinical findings.
The viral document sparked confusion among the public, with many questioning whether AI has been officially authorised to read scans in India.
Medical Community Divided on AI’s Role
While some doctors hailed it as a major technological advancement, others expressed concerns about patient safety and the possibility of AI replacing radiologists.
The radiologist who posted the report said the technology is useful for faster reads, fewer misses and better triage, but stressed that AI output remains preliminary.
AIIMS Radiologist Turned AI Researcher Explains the Truth
Dr Suvarankar Datta, a radiologist and AI researcher at AIIMS, released a detailed video clarification after receiving multiple queries.
He emphasised that the viral report is part of a research study, not a valid diagnostic report.
“AI reports today have absolutely no standing without a radiologist’s signature… Multiple laws in India prevent any autonomous diagnosis by AI,” he said.
He clarified that AI-generated preliminary reads are common across countries—including India—but final verification must always be done by a qualified radiologist.
Autonomous AI reports, he added, are allowed only under research protocols with patient consent and ethics approval.
“Legally Invalid Without Human Signature”
Dr Datta reassured young radiologists that AI is not replacing them anytime soon.
“If you ask me what the standing of this report is — it’s legally absolutely invalid. It becomes a report only when signed by a radiologist.”
AIIMS Issues Official Statement
Following the controversy, AIIMS posted an official clarification stating that the Radiology Department uses a clinically approved AI algorithm only for triage, not for final reporting.
The hospital explained that AI helps manage the massive daily load—up to 1,000 chest radiographs per day.
“If any discrepancy is noticed, a radiologist reviews the X-ray… The algorithm is tuned for a high negative predictive value to reduce the chance of missing abnormalities,” AIIMS said.
AI as a Support Tool, Not a Replacement
The institution reiterated that AI assists radiologists by flagging normal and abnormal scans, improving workflow speed, but does not replace human oversight.
The viral report, therefore, reflects a preliminary research-based AI read and cannot be considered an official diagnostic document.
Debate Continues, But Human Oversight Remains Key
The incident has sparked renewed conversations about the future of medical AI in India.
Experts say the technology can significantly boost hospital efficiency — but only under proper regulation, transparency and mandatory human verification.
