(Yicai Global) Nov. 2 -- The Western Ophthalmological League, consisting of 69 medical institutions, and Tencent Holdings Ltd. [HK:0700] established an artificial intelligence (AI) medical imaging laboratory and initiated a clinical retinal screening pilot.

The parties will conduct in-depth research and practice retinal screening using image recognition and deep learning tools from Tencent Miying (the company's AI medical imaging product whose name literally means Tencent Imaging Seeker) to assist doctors in carrying out retinal screening and improving the accuracy of their diagnoses, Ikanchai reported. This will help make up for the imbalance in medical services and resources in western China.

Qq.com and Tencent's cooperation division led Tencent Miying, which integrated medical research and leading technologies in image recognition and deep learning across borders. Tencent Miying has started clinical trials for screening diseases such as esophageal cancer and pulmonary nodules since August.

Tencent Miying can improve image reading efficiency with AI by providing retinal screening for patients with glaucoma, cataracts and other eye issues; reading retinal images more quickly and accurately; and rapidly identifying fundus lesions, said Guo Xiaowei, a medical AI technology expert in the Tencent YouTu Lab. This will improve medical technologies and services in western China, bringing more hospitals and patients welfare through the Internet Plus, Guo said.

The Western Ophthalmological League includes many primary hospitals across seven provinces and autonomous regions -- the provinces of Shaanxi, Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi as well as the autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui.