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Methods Inf Med 1992; 31(02): 90-105
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634867
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH

Toward Normative Expert Systems: Part I The Pathfinder Project

D. E. Heckerman
1   Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles CA
,
E. J. Horvitz
2   Palo Alto Laboratory, Rockwell International Science Center, Palo Alto CA
,
B. N. Nathwani
3   Department of Pathology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
08 February 2018 (online)

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Abstract:

Pathfinder is an expert system that assists surgical pathologists with the diagnosis of lymph-node diseases. The program is one of a growing number of normative expert systems that use probability and decision theory to acquire, represent, manipulate, and explain uncertain medical knowledge. In this article, we describe Pathfinder and our research in uncertain-reasoning paradigms that was stimulated by the development of the program. We discuss limitations with early decision-theoretic methods for reasoning under uncertainty and our initial attempts to use non-decision-theoretic methods. Then, we describe experimental and theoretical results that directed us to return to reasoning methods based in probability and decision theory.

Key-Words

Expert Systems - Decision Making - Diagnosis - Probability Theory - Decision Theory - Artificial Intelligence - Pathology
 

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