The European Union has launched a new initiative to collect — and share — cancer imaging data while maintaining patient confidentiality.

The new program, called the European Cancer Imaging Initiative, will explore the potential of data and digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing to combat cancer by highlighting how medical images can be shared and analyzed.

The project will create a central hub for healthcare providers and researchers to access a database of more than 100,000 anonymous cancer images and data, including common and rare cancers.

By the end of the project, at least 50 AI algorithms, tools and clinical predictive models are expected to be deployed for researchers’ use.