科學家正在測試一種人工智能系統，據信，僅需進行一次腦部掃描，即可診斷出失智癥。該系統還有可能可以預測患者病情是會持續多年保持穩定、緩慢惡化，還是需要立即接受治療。

Currently, it can take several scans and numerous tests over months or even years to diagnose dementia, but this new artificial-intelligence system might be able to identify dementia after just one brain scan.

目前，人們需要在數月甚至數年間進行多次掃描和大量測試才能診斷出失智癥，但這種新的人工智能系統可能只需一次腦部掃描就能識別這一疾病。

It compares the scans of those who are concerned they might have dementia with those of thousands of patients who are confirmed to have the condition and their relevant medical records. An algorithm then identifies patterns in the scans that even expert neurologists can’t see.  

該系統將那些擔心自己可能患病的人的掃描結果，與數千名失智癥患者的掃描結果以及相關病歷進行比較。然后，一種算法會在掃描結果中識別出連神經科專家都無法看出的固定模式。

In preclinical tests, it’s been able to diagnose dementia years before symptoms develop, even when there’s no obvious signs of damage on the brain scan. It’s now being tested at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to see if it works as well in a clinical setting as it has in the lab.

在臨床前測試中，即使腦部掃描沒有明顯損傷的跡象，該系統也能在癥狀出現的數年前診斷出失智癥。現在，這種技術正在劍橋阿登布魯克醫院進行測試，以觀察它在臨床環境中是否像在實驗室中一樣有效。

詞匯表

scans 掃描
diagnose 診斷、查出（病癥）
identify 識別
medical records 病歷
algorithm 算法
patterns 模式
neurologists 神經科醫生
preclinical 臨床前的
symptoms 癥狀
signs 跡象

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? Currently, it can take years to diagnose dementia.

2. What might the new artificial-intelligence system be able to do?

3. What have preclinical tests of the system shown?

4. What is the system being tested for?

答案  

1. True or false? Currently, it can take years to diagnose dementia.
True. It can take several scans and numerous tests over months or even years to diagnose dementia.

2. What might the new artificial-intelligence system be able to do?
It might be able to identify dementia after just one brain scan.

3. What have preclinical tests of the system shown?
It’s shown to be able to diagnose dementia years before symptoms develop, even when there are no obvious signs of damage on the brain scan.

4. What is the system being tested for?
It’s being tested to see if it works as well in a clinical setting as it has in the lab.