UCLA leads $16M trial testing AI mammogram accuracy nationwide

UCLA will lead a $16 million national clinical trial to evaluate whether artificial intelligence can improve mammogram interpretation accuracy and reduce unnecessary patient callbacks. The PRISM trial represents the first large-scale randomized study of AI in breast cancer screening in the United States, involving hundreds of thousands of mammograms across medical centers in six states.

What you should know: The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), a nonprofit healthcare research organization, is funding this comprehensive study to objectively assess AI’s real-world impact on breast cancer screening.

• UCLA and UC Davis will co-lead the multi-institutional trial, with participation from academic medical centers in California, Florida, Massachusetts, Washington, and Wisconsin.
• The study will use Transpara by ScreenPoint Medical as the AI support tool, integrated through Aidoc’s aiOS platform.
• Mammograms will be randomly assigned for interpretation either by radiologists alone or with AI assistance, though radiologists maintain final decision-making authority in all cases.

Why this matters: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women, and while mammography screening saves lives through early detection, it also generates false positives that cause unnecessary anxiety, testing, and costs.

• “AI has great promise, but it also raises real questions,” said Dr. Joann G. Elmore, the study’s dual principal investigator and professor of medicine at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “We want to know whether AI helps radiologists find more cancers, or just flags more exams that ultimately turn out to be normal.”

The big picture: This patient-centered research approach was developed in close partnership with patient advocates, clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers to generate trustworthy evidence about AI’s role in healthcare.

• The trial will analyze both clinical outcomes like cancer detection rates and recall rates, as well as patient and radiologist perceptions through focus groups and surveys.
• Results are expected to inform clinical practice, insurance coverage decisions, technology adoption policies, and patient communication strategies.

What they’re saying: Expert radiologists emphasize that AI serves as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human expertise.

• “Our expert radiologists will continue to make the final call,” Elmore explained. “AI may be a useful co-pilot — but it’s the radiologist who holds the wheel.”
• Dr. Hannah Milch, co-principal investigator and UCLA site PI, noted: “There’s never been a trial of this scope looking at AI in breast cancer screening in the U.S.”

Who else is involved: The PRISM trial brings together seven leading academic medical centers across the country.

• UCLA serves as the Administrative Coordinating Site, while UC Davis operates the Data Coordinating Center.
• Additional participating institutions include Boston Medical Center, UC San Diego Health, University of Miami, University of Washington–Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, and University of Wisconsin–Madison.