Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40678070›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2025

Performance of large language models in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant biliary stricture.

Chenxi Kang, Jing Li, Xintian Yang, Gui Ren, Linhui Zhang, Wei Wang, Xin Liu, Lei Wang, Guochen Shang, Jianglong Hong and 10 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Chenxi KangXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Jing LiXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Xintian YangXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Gui RenXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Linhui ZhangXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Wei WangDepartment of Gastroenterology, People's Liberation Army Joint Logistics Support Force 940th Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Xin LiuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Third People's Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Lei WangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ankang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Ankang, China.
Guochen ShangTongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Jianglong HongFirst Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Bingnian WanYantai Ludong Hospital, Shandong Provincial Hospital Group, Yantai, Shandong, China.
Yu DuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Qinzhou Second People's Hospital, Qinzhou, China.
Wei ZengXiang'an Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Yaling LiuXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Tongxin LiXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Lijun LouXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Hui LuoXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Shuhui LiangXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Yong LvXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Yanglin PanXijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Distinguishing benign from malignant biliary strictures remains challenging. Large Language Models (LLMs) show promise in enhancing diagnostic accuracy. This study aimed to evaluate the performances of ten LLMs in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant biliary strictures. Methods: Consecutive patients with biliary strictures undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) at Xijing Hospital between January and December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Ten LLMs were systematically prompted with standardized clinical, laboratory, and imaging data. Performance was compared against tumor markers (CA19-9, CEA), a new multivariable clinical model, and ten independent pancreaticobiliary exoerienced physicians. Subgroup analyses assessed hilar (n=29) versus non-hilar strictures. Gold-standard diagnosis relied on histopathology and ≥3-month follow-up. Results: Among the 159 included patients (83 benign, 76 malignant), four LLMs (Kimi, Deepseek-R1, Claude-3.5S, Llama-3.1), the clinical model (AUC:0.83), and six physicians achieved >80% accuracy. Kimi demonstrated superior accuracy (87%), significantly outperforming 70% of physicians (7/10, p<0.01). Three other LLMs (Deepseek-R1:83%, Claude-3.5S:82%, Llama-3.1:81%) and the clinical model performed comparably to physicians (78-84%, p>0.05), collectively surpassing tumor markers (CA19-9 accuracy:66%, CEA:71%). Physicians demonstrated higher accuracy for hilar strictures (87% vs. 79% for non-hilar, p<0.001). LLMs showed similar performance across stricture locations (hilar:64-95%; non-hilar:62-88%, p>0.05). For hilar strictures, 7/10 physicians achieved significantly higher accuracy (87-90%) than 8/10 LLMs (64-84%, p<0.05). Conclusions: Using clinical, lab, and imaging data, some LLMs achieved diagnostic accuracy comparable to or exceeding clinical models and experienced physicians for differentiating benign versus malignant strictures. However, for hilar strictures, LLM performance was inferior to over half of the physicians.

Indexed as

biliary stricturecholangiocarcinomadiagnosislarge language modelprediction model

Identifiers

PMID40678070
PMCPMC12267023

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.