Novosibirsk’s “Doctor Pirogov” Learns to Diagnose 250 Conditions
Russian scientists have unveiled “Doctor Pirogov,” an intelligent clinical support system that can conduct an initial patient interview, analyze medical data, and present physicians with a ranked list of likely diagnoses.
Named After a Pioneering Surgeon
In 2025, researchers at Novosibirsk State University introduced the “Doctor Pirogov” system. It is a sophisticated AI assistant designed to analyze a patient’s condition, review medical history, laboratory results, and even genetic tests. The system was not created to replace physicians. Its purpose is to serve as a reliable and competent partner, taking on routine yet critically important tasks related to data collection and preliminary analysis.
Behind this milestone is years of work by researchers from NSU’s Artificial Intelligence Center and the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The foundation of the system is the specialized ANDSystem knowledge graph, a unique database mapping relationships between diseases, symptoms, and medications that has been developed and refined over a decade. By combining neural networks with semantic analysis, “Doctor Pirogov” goes beyond simple pattern matching and builds complex chains of reasoning, much like an experienced clinician.
Practical Benefits Here and Now
The system’s key advantage is its direct focus on real-world patient needs. For people in small towns and rural areas, where access to specialized physicians is limited, “Doctor Pirogov” can serve as a bridge to higher-quality diagnostics. Before visiting a paramedic or primary care doctor, a patient can complete a detailed interview within the system. An algorithm that integrates knowledge across 20 medical specialties – from cardiology and oncology to more niche fields such as hematology and nephrology – structures patient complaints and produces a list of possible diagnoses, prioritized from the most dangerous to less serious. This allows local clinicians to move away from guesswork based on limited experience and instead guide patients using insights from an intelligent assistant.
The benefits extend well beyond remote regions. In large medical centers, the system can reduce the burden on specialists by handling initial data collection. Physicians begin appointments with a prepared case file that already includes analyzed data and a shortlist of likely causes. This frees time for deeper patient interaction, complex cases, and well-considered final decisions. In addition, the built-in drug compatibility check directly enhances treatment safety by helping minimize the risk of adverse medication interactions.
A Global Context
The Novosibirsk-developed system is entering the international arena at a moment when global healthcare urgently needs standardized and accessible expert knowledge. Medical errors linked to cognitive bias or clinician fatigue remain a universal challenge. “Doctor Pirogov” offers not a uniquely Russian solution but a broadly applicable one – an algorithmic second opinion that is free from subjective factors.
The export potential of the system is significant. Its knowledge-graph-based architecture makes it possible to adapt the platform to international clinical guidelines and pharmaceutical formularies. This positions the product as an attractive option for countries with developing healthcare systems that, like Russia, must serve remote regions with limited specialist availability. The technology can be licensed and integrated into existing medical information systems, evolving into a practical tool for the global medical community rather than a purely national project.
Medicine and IT Move Hand in Hand
The emergence of “Doctor Pirogov” illustrates how fundamental science can give rise to applied solutions that directly improve people’s lives. The project highlights the maturity of the Novosibirsk scientific ecosystem, where academic institutes – in this case, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics – generate foundational knowledge, while the university provides a platform to turn that knowledge into digital products.
For Russia’s IT sector, the project represents a step into a new league. It involves working within one of the most complex and high-stakes domains: healthcare. Successfully delivering such systems requires deep interdisciplinary collaboration among software engineers, data scientists, biologists, and physicians. This process builds unique competencies that cannot be easily copied or purchased and creates an environment for training the next generation of specialists capable of tackling large-scale challenges.
Clinical trials scheduled for 2026, followed by regulatory approval procedures with Russia’s healthcare oversight authorities, will be a critical stage of validation. Researchers are currently assessing the system’s accuracy and reliability, and the results of these tests will determine the level of trust the technology earns from both the medical community and patients.
