Global output of clinical application research on artificial intelligence in the past decade: a scientometric study and science mapping

A total of 735 articles on AI in clinical research were analyzed, with publication volume and citation counts steadily increasing each year. Institutions and researchers from the United States contributed the most to the research output in this field. Key areas of focus included AI applications in surgery, rehabilitation, disease diagnosis, risk prediction, and health management, with emerging trends in deep learning and chatbots. This study also provides detailed and intuitive information about important articles, journals, core authors, institutions, and topics in the field through visualization maps, which will help researchers quickly understand the current status, hotspots, and trends of artificial intelligence clinical application research. Future clinical trials of artificial intelligence should strengthen scientific design, ethical compliance, and interdisciplinary and international cooperation and pay more attention to its practical clinical value and reliable application in diverse scenarios.