Understanding Machine Learning Applications in Lung Transplantation: A Narrative Review

Lung transplantation (LTx) offers life-saving therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease but remains limited by donor shortages, complex postoperative management and graft failure. Machine learning (ML) enables opportunities to address these challenges by identifying patterns in complex, high-dimensional data, thereby providing novel insights and improving outcomes. This review outlines ML studies in LTx and explains the methodologies. ML has demonstrated promising results in organ allocation and outcome prediction. Techniques such as support vector machines, and deep learning are useful in risk stratification, while methods like random forests improve interpretability and transfer learning supports model development in data-scarce settings. ML has a growing role in multi-omics data and imaging-based diagnostics. Despite promising results, barriers such as small datasets, cross-center inconsistency, poor interpretability, and limited external validation, hinder clinical adoption. Future progress requires multicenter collaborations, transparent methodologies, and integration within clinical workflows. ML should serve as complementary tool that enhances decision-making, rather than replacing clinical judgement. With careful implementation, it holds the potential to improve transplant outcomes.