Implementing AI-enabled chest X-ray for community-based integrated screening for tuberculosis, chronic…

StudyBMC global and public health· Aug 2026

Implementing AI-enabled chest X-ray for community-based integrated screening for tuberculosis, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

Chidimma Okoye, Jude Ilozumba, John Oko … Chukwuebuka Ugwu

Cardiothoracic ImagingStudyClinical practiceQ1IF 3.5

Only 12% of people with artificial intelligence-flagged cardiopulmonary abnormalities completed referral to care.

Implementing AI-enabled chest X-ray for community-based integrated screening for tuberculosis, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

Chidimma Okoye … Chukwuebuka Ugwu

BMC global and public health · Aug 2026

Background

Low- and middle-income countries face a growing dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, while services remain vertically organised.

Methods

We conducted a non-randomised descriptive study using routinely collected programme data from five Local Government Areas in Ebonyi and Nasarawa States, January 2023 to December 2024.

n = 9,585 individuals

Results

12%

most flagged patients never reached follow-up heart or lung care

n = 9,585 individuals

More results

204 were diagnosed with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis, and 194 (95%) were initiated on treatment.

A further 199 people were clinically diagnosed with tuberculosis following radiologist and/or clinical review.

Among abnormal radiographs, 2,367 (75%) showed features suggestive of CVDs or CRDs.

More results

Programmatic adaptations supported tuberculosis linkage but had limited impact on non-tuberculosis referral completion.

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Conclusion · 1 of 3

Artificial intelligence-enabled community chest X-ray screening is feasible for tuberculosis case finding in rural Nigeria and achieves high linkage to tuberculosis treatment.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Chest radiography also identified many abnormalities requiring further evaluation for cardiovascular disease and chronic respiratory disease, most not confirmed within the study.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

Limited decentralisation of non-communicable disease services constrains care continuity for CVDs and CRDs.

Implementing AI-enabled chest X-ray for community-based integrated screening for tuberculosis, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

Implementing AI-enabled chest X-ray for community-based integrated screening for tuberculosis, chronic respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.

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