This study in Vietnam assesses the effectiveness of the “Double X” strategy, which combines chest X-ray interpreted by Qure’s AI-powered solution with GeneXpert testing, to screen and diagnose tuberculosis (TB) among vulnerable populations. From 2020 to 2022, 96,631 participants underwent chest X-rays, with 70.2% reporting no TB symptoms. Among 1,144 individuals with Xpert-confirmed TB, 51% were classified as having subclinical TB, meaning they showed no symptoms but had TB-presumptive abnormalities on chest X-rays. Subclinical TB prevalence was found to be higher in older individuals, non-smokers, those previously treated for TB, and in the northern region of Vietnam. The study also analyzed multilabel radiographic abnormalities detected by the AI solutions, finding that fibrosis was significantly associated with higher odds of subclinical TB. The research suggests that the AI solutions may enhance the detection of subclinical TB by identifying key radiographic features, though further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
