A study of the transformation of digital twins into personalized medicine

Introduction. To date, digital twins are the most promising area for the development of modern healthcare. With their help, it is possible to radically change approaches to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. In medicine, the concept of digital twins involves the creation of a “digital patient”, which allows you to simulate the course of the disease, predict outcomes and select optimal therapeutic treatment algorithms, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body. This transformation of the healthcare system entails revolutionary changes in established medical thinking with an emphasis on a personalized approach, which requires a revision of the basic principles of evidence-based medicine.

The purpose of the study: to conduct a systematic analysis of the current state and prospects of using digital twin technologies in personalized medicine based on a review of scientific literature for the period 2019 – 2024.

Materials and methods. The present study is a narrative review of the literature with elements of a scoping review, covering the results of research on medical digital twins over the past ~ 5 years (2019 – 2024). According to the search results, more than 150 sources were selected, of which about 60 were recognized as relevant based on reading the full texts. The final bibliography includes 23 of the most significant sources that fully meet the selection criteria. It should be noted that the choice of a narrative review with elements of a scoping review is due not to the desire for an exhaustive meta-analysis, but to a synthetic understanding of heterogeneous trends in a field where methodological limitations such as the fragmentation of empirical data and the predominance of conceptual work inevitably affect the depth of conclusions.

Results. The development of the concept of digital twins in medicine has gone through several key stages. The transition from simple to intelligent models reflects a paradigm shift in traditional medicine, where the patient is viewed as a dynamic system. Professional circles continue to form an opinion about their effective use in healthcare. Today, it is known about the successful use of digital twins in such branches of medicine as diagnostics, therapy, surgery, rehabilitation, pharmacy, prevention, as well as in systems to support clinical decision-making.

Conclusion. The conducted analysis of the MDC transformation study demonstrates their significant potential for use in personalized medicine, bringing tangible benefits in improving the accuracy of diagnosis and prognosis, individualizing treatment, ensuring continuous monitoring of patients’ health status and supporting clinical decision-making.