TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is using an AI-powered analysis system to support the treatment of calcium buildup in the shoulder and predict how individuals will respond to therapy, significantly improving treatment results.
The condition is caused by calcium deposits forming in the tendons of the rotator cuff. It can result in sudden, intense pain, inflammation, and limited shoulder movement.
At a press conference on Friday, Chou Wen-yi (周文毅), a bone doctor at the hospital, said that up to 2.35 million people in Taiwan are affected by the condition. He explained the condition is linked to degeneration, endocrine, and metabolic factors, and is most common among individuals aged 30 to 60, with women being more likely to be affected, per CNA.
Common treatments for the condition include extracorporeal shockwave therapy, which uses shockwaves to relieve tendon pain and promote healing. Other options include surgery and lavage, a procedure in which a needle is inserted into the calcium deposit and saline is then used to break it up.
Chou noted the key to treating the condition lies in the duration of pain and the size of the calcium deposits. The system, developed by the hospital's team, can achieve up to 90% accuracy in recommending the most effective therapy after being trained on data from over 400 cases.
Chou shared the case of a 48-year-old woman surnamed Wang (王). She had been experiencing persistent pain in her right shoulder for four months. After being diagnosed with the condition at another clinic, Wang saw no improvement following three months of treatment.
Chou used the AI-driven system to select shockwave therapy as the most effective treatment for Wang. Following three weeks of treatment combined with rehabilitation, her pain eased and she recovered mobility in her arm.
The hospital’s use of AI technology in shoulder injury treatment has been published in two international medical journals and won an award from the Taiwan Academy of Management. On Thursday, Chou was recognized by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for his contributions to the medical field.
