Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42303610›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Artificial intelligence for detecting fetal orofacial clefts and advancing medical education.

Yuanji Zhang, Yuhao Huang, Haoran Dou, Xiliang Zhu, Chen Ling, Zhong Yang, Lianying Liang, Jiuping Li, Siying Liang, Rui Li and 21 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

31 authors.

Yuanji Zhang *Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University), Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5398-7588
Yuhao Huang *National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Haoran Dou *Christabel Pankhurst Institute, Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8628-5489
Xiliang Zhu *School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Chen LingThe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China.
Zhong YangThe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China.
Lianying LiangShenzhen University of Advanced Technology General Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Jiuping LiShenzhen Luohu People's Hospital (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University), Shenzhen, China.
Siying LiangNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Rui LiShenzhen RayShape Medical Technology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, China.
Yan CaoShenzhen RayShape Medical Technology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, China.
Yuhan ZhangNational Engineering Laboratory for Big Data System Computing Technology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Jiewei LaiSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yongsong ZhouNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Hongyu ZhengThe People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China.
Xinru GaoNorthwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China.
Cheng YuHangzhou Women's Hospital, Hangzhou, China.
Liling ShiShanxi Children's Hospital, Taiyuan, China.
Mengqin YuanNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Honglong LiShenzhen RayShape Medical Technology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, China.
Xiaoqiong HuangNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2354-0758
Chaoyu ChenNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Jialin ZhangNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
Wenxiong PanSchool of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7038-3455
Alejandro F FrangiChristabel Pankhurst Institute, Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2675-528X
Guangzhi HeShenzhen University of Advanced Technology General Hospital, Shenzhen, China. 810080705@qq.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-7094-1551
Xin YangNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. xinyang@szu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4653-6524
Yi XiongShenzhen Luohu People's Hospital (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University), Shenzhen, China. 13352995536@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-2535-8571
Linliang YinThe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China. yllsznthello@hotmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6486-3564
Xuedong DengThe Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China. xuedongdeng@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-9127-9711
Dong NiNational-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. nidong@szu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9146-6003

Funding

DH | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) NIHR203308National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 12326619National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 62171290National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 62572324
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Orofacial clefts are among the most common congenital craniofacial abnormalities, yet accurate prenatal detection remains challenging due to the scarcity of experienced specialists and the relative rarity of the condition. Early and reliable diagnosis is essential to enable timely clinical intervention and reduce associated morbidity. Here we show that an artificial intelligence system, trained on over 45,139 ultrasound images from 9,215 fetuses across 22 hospitals, can diagnose fetal orofacial clefts with sensitivity and specificity exceeding 93% and 95% respectively, matching the performance of senior radiologists and substantially outperforming junior radiologists. When used as a medical copilot, the system raises junior radiologists' sensitivity by more than 6 %. Beyond direct diagnostic assistance, the system also accelerates the development of clinical expertise. A pilot study involving 24 radiologists and trainees demonstrated that the model can improve the expertise development for rare conditions. This dual-purpose approach offers a scalable solution for improving both diagnostic accuracy and specialist training in settings where experienced radiologists are scarce.

Indexed as

Artificial IntelligenceCleft LipCleft PalateEducation, MedicalUltrasonography, PrenatalFemaleFetusHumansPilot ProjectsPregnancyRadiologistsSensitivity and Specificity

Identifiers

PMID42303610
PMCPMC13434798

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.