Artificial Intelligence Takes Center Stage at ACR Convergence 2025: Breakthrough Research Advances Diagnosis, Treatment, and Patient Outcomes in Rheumatic Diseases

CHICAGO – At ACR Convergence 2025, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, leading researchers unveiled groundbreaking applications of artificial intelligence (AI) poised to transform rheumatology. From novel imaging classification tools to synthetic data generation and predictive modeling, these studies highlight AI’s expanding role in improving diagnosis, refining treatment strategies, and deepening understanding of disease outcomes.

AI Advances in Imaging and Disease Classification
Several abstracts showcased the potential of AI to enhance radiologic interpretation and disease classification, offering faster, more accurate insights for clinicians:

• Classification of Sacroiliitis with AI (Abstract 2127840): Researchers developed an AI tool to detect active sacroiliitis lesions in axial spondyloarthritis patients using MRI, providing a scalable method for standardized interpretation that could reduce inter-reader variability.
• ASembleNet Hybrid AI Model for Ankylosing Spondylitis (Abstract 2131420): A novel hybrid architecture, combining transformer and convolutional networks, demonstrated strong performance in MRI-based classification of ankylosing spondylitis, pointing toward improved computer-assisted diagnostics.
• Generative AI for Hand Osteoarthritis (Abstract 2120900): Investigators employed a CycleGAN and EfficientNetB7-based model to enhance classification of hand osteoarthritis, underscoring how generative AI can expand training datasets and address diagnostic limitations in underrepresented conditions.

Generative AI for Disease Differentiation

• Diagnostic Support for RA vs PsA (Abstract 2129810): A study leveraged generative AI to create synthetic data that effectively distinguished between seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis without skin psoriasis. This approach may aid clinicians in resolving one of rheumatology’s most challenging diagnostic overlaps.

Predictors of Patient Outcomes

• BMI vs Treatment in Psoriatic Arthritis (Abstract 2130445): Findings from the SPEED trial revealed that body mass index, as assessed through AI-driven outcome analysis, was a stronger determinant of one-year psoriatic arthritis outcomes than treatment assignment. The results emphasize the need to address lifestyle factors alongside therapeutics for optimal patient care.

Transforming the Rheumatology Landscape
Collectively, these studies demonstrate the growing impact of AI across multiple dimensions of rheumatology—diagnostics, disease differentiation, and patient outcomes. Experts presenting at ACR Convergence 2025 emphasized that AI-driven solutions will not replace clinicians but instead provide adaptable tools to complement clinical expertise, improve accuracy, and accelerate patient-centered care.

“Artificial intelligence is advancing from concept to clinical utility in rheumatology,” said Miral Hamed Gharib, MD, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, and the lead investigator for the abstract, ASembleNet: A Hybrid AI Model for MRI-Based Classification of Ankylosing Spondylitis. “These findings underscore the power of technology to not only refine diagnoses using imaging and synthetic data but also to uncover critical predictors of disease outcomes that inform treatment strategies.”

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
Director, Public Relations & Communications
tarnold@rheumatology.org
757-272-7002

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About the American College of Rheumatology
Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology that serves over 10,000 physicians, health professionals, researchers and scientists worldwide. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatology professionals are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.

About ACR Convergence
ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, is where rheumatology meets to collaborate, celebrate, congregate, and learn. With hundreds of sessions and thousands of abstracts, it offers a superior combination of basic science, clinical science, business education and interactive discussions to improve patient care and advance the specialty. For more information about the meeting, visit the ACR Convergence page, or join the conversation on X by following the official hashtag (#ACR25).