From diagnostics and imaging to estimating the market impact of AI in the future, new AI and other innovative technologies caught the attention of many in the healthcare industry this year.

Here are AI in Healthcare’s top 10 AI and clinical innovation stories from 2018.

1) Global market for AI in medical imaging to top $2B 

A report released by Signify Research estimated the global market for AI in medical imaging is expected to see significant growth in the years ahead, topping $2 billion by 2023.

2) Researchers develop ‘surgery in a pill’ for reversing type 2 diabetes 

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston developed “surgery in a pill” to treat type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels after a meal, with the approach detailed in a study.

3) AI named top a medical innovation for 2019

Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists named the utilization of AI in healthcare as the second most important medical innovation for 2019.

4) Reviews for the new Apple Watch, ECG app

Several technology experts reviewed the new Apple Watch Series 4, which features an application that allows users to take their own electrocardiogram (ECG) reading.

5) Patients excited about AI-powered nurses

A report revealed that patients are excited about AI becoming more common in medicine, with 64 percent of patients reporting they would be comfortable with a AI virtual nurse assistant.

6) AI-enhanced virtual care could reduce ER visits

A report predicted the enrollment of chronically ill patients in AI-enhanced virtual care would result in 20 million fewer emergency room visits by 2023.

7) Amazon expands list of HIPAA-eligible AI services

In November, Amazon Web Services added to its list of HIPAA-eligible machine-learning services. Amazon’s machine-learning services now include: Amazon Translate, Amazon Comprehend, Amazon Transcribed, Amazon Polly, Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Rekognition.

8) VA launches system providing patients with medical images

In May, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new online system providing patients with access to medical images and study reports.

9) 30% of physicians meet criteria for burnout

A study revealed that nearly 30 percent of physicians working at the Cleveland Clinic Health System met the criteria for overall burnout.

10) Guerbet, IBM Watson Health partner on AI-based liver cancer solution

In July, Guerbet announced an exclusive agreement to collaborate with IBM Watson Health and develop AI software solutions that help detect, diagnose and treat liver cancer.