Digital twins in medicine

Medical digital twins, which are potentially vital for personalized medicine, have become a recent focus in medical research. Here we present an overview of the state of the art in medical digital twin development, especially in oncology and cardiology, where it is most advanced. We discuss major challenges, such as data integration and privacy, and provide an outlook on future advancements. Emphasizing the importance of this technology in healthcare, we highlight the potential for substantial improvements in patient-specific treatments and diagnostics. The digital twin concept, while initially formulated and developed in industry and engineering, has compelling potential applications in medicine. There are, however, major challenges that need to be overcome to fully embrace digital twin technology in the medical context.