Tencent Launches AI Medical Imaging Product 'Miying' to Tackle Global Challenge in Early Esophageal Cancer Screening

Following the Go-playing AI “Jueyi,” Tencent’s first AI product applied in the medical field has officially been launched. On August 3, at the 2017 “Internet+” Digital Economy China Tour·Guangdong Summit, Tencent officially released its AI medical imaging product—Tencent Miying.

Meanwhile, Tencent has initiated the establishment of a Joint Laboratory for AI Medical Imaging and launched the clinical pilot study of the world’s first AI-based medical imaging project for early screening of esophageal cancer. Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute), Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, and Nanshan District People’s Hospital of Shenzhen have become the first batch of partner hospitals to join the Joint Laboratory.

Unveiling Ceremony of the Joint Laboratory for AI Medical Imaging

Chen Guangyu, Vice President of Tencent’s Mobile Internet Group (MIG), stated that the Joint Laboratory for AI Medical Imaging is committed to advancing the research and application of artificial intelligence technologies in the healthcare sector. As a next step, plans are in place to leverage Tencent Miying for public welfare screening of esophageal cancer, thereby promoting the sharing of medical resources.

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. Due to insufficient public awareness and a lack of effective early screening methods, the current detection rate for early-stage esophageal cancer in China remains below 10%. In contrast, Tencent Miying can analyze an endoscopic examination in under four seconds, achieving a detection accuracy rate of up to 90% for early-stage esophageal cancer. Behind these efficient and accurate screening results lies the dedicated effort of a medical technology team composed of physicians and AI engineers.

Professor Fu Jianhua, Director of the Hospital Administration Office at Sun Yat-sen University and Director of the Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, a leading authority on esophageal cancer research in China, revealed that his team has collaborated with Tencent to develop an AI-based screening project for esophageal cancer. The team classified hundreds of thousands of esophageal endoscopy images, which were then cyclically scored and annotated by physicians of varying seniority using a double-blind randomized method. These data were subsequently handed over to Tencent’s AI technology team for image processing and enhancement. By leveraging deep learning technologies, Tencent Miying has been equipped with the capability to screen for suspicious cases of esophageal cancer.

Fu Jianhua pointed out that the introduction of Tencent Miying, which leverages artificial intelligence technology to assist physicians in esophageal cancer screening, can effectively improve screening accuracy and facilitate precise treatment. This approach holds promise for addressing the global challenge of difficult early-stage esophageal cancer detection, while also helping to bridge disparities in medical care across different regions by providing patients with consistent standards of diagnosis and treatment.

It is reported that the early screening of esophageal cancer was the first project under Tencent Miying to enter clinical pre-trials.

Chen Guangyu, Vice President of Tencent's Mobile Internet Group, Interprets Tencent Miying

Chen Guangyu introduced that Tencent Miying aggregates multiple top-tier artificial intelligence teams within Tencent, including the AI Lab, Youtu Laboratory, and the Architecture Platform Department. It integrates leading technologies such as image recognition and deep learning with medicine. In addition to early screening for esophageal cancer, it will also support early detection of lung cancer, diabetic retinopathy, breast cancer, and other diseases in the future.

Tencent Miying Product Team Unveils New Brand Image

Chen Guangyu also revealed that Tencent will soon join forces with the Shantou Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, the Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shantou University Medical College, and the Tencent Public Welfare Charity Foundation to provide free public welfare screening for individuals at high risk of esophageal cancer, leveraging Tencent Miying’s AI medical imaging technology. “We hope that artificial intelligence technology can empower healthcare, facilitate the sharing of medical resources, and benefit the general public.”

In the future, leveraging the capabilities of Tencent Miying’s AI medical imaging products, Tencent and the Tencent Public Welfare Charity Foundation will collaborate with various partners to provide medical support through public welfare screening initiatives targeting specific diseases across different regions in China for those in need.

China’s medical resources have long been unevenly distributed and developed. Particularly in the treatment of major diseases and complex, refractory conditions, high-quality medical resources are heavily concentrated in first-tier cities, creating significant barriers to healthcare access for residents in remote and impoverished areas. Through the open availability of Tencent Miying’s AI-powered medical imaging products, hospitals across China can gain access to the clinical expertise of top-tier medical institutions. This enables equitable treatment for people in poverty-stricken and remote regions, sparing them from the suffering caused by disparities in geography and economic status.